Man Pointed Shotgun at Santa Rosa Medical Center Staff
The man was denied visitation with his wife, who was a patient at the Florida hospital, due to coronavirus restrictions.
Eric Reitz booking photo (Photo: Santa Rosa County Jail)
MILTON, Fla. — A Florida man who was denied access to Santa Rosa Medical Center returned with a shotgun and aimed it at a security officer and nurse.
The security officer told responding police that 57-year-old Eric Reitz went to the hospital to visit his wife, who was a patient, but visitations were not allowed due to the coronavirus pandemic, reports ABC 3.
A nurse who was next to the security officer said Reitz tried to enter the facility anyway, which led to a confrontation with the officer. Reitz then allegedly began repeating, “You will see,” before walking back to his truck to retrieve the firearm.
When Reitz reapproached, the officer said he instructed a nearby patient to hid behind a pillar as Reitz allegedly reapproached and pointed the shotgun at the security officer and nurse.
According to the nurse, Reitz then “racked” the shotgun as if he was loading it and pointed it at them again. When police sirens could be heard in the distance, Reitz reportedly retreated and put the shotgun back in his truck.
When police arrived, Reitz was standing on a sidewalk outside the hospital. After searching his vehicle, police found a 12-gauge shotgun and a .22-caliber rifle on the backseat floorboard, according to Pensacola News Journal. The shotgun was not loaded but the rifle had a bullet in the chamber, according to the arrest report.
Reitz was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. As of Wednesday, Reitz was still being held at Santa Rosa County Jail on a $20,000 bond.
On Monday, the hospital announced in a Facebook post that it still has strict safety measures in place, like screening all visitors and requiring face coverings, but that essential visitors over the age of 18, including immediate family members, spouses or significant others, would be allowed one at a time.
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About the Author
Amy Rock, Executive Editor
Amy is Campus Safety’s Executive Editor. Prior to joining the editorial team in 2017, she worked in both events and digital marketing.
Amy has many close relatives and friends who are teachers, motivating her to learn and share as much as she can about campus security. She has a minor in education and has worked with children in several capacities, further deepening her passion for keeping students safe.
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