Chicago shooting: Three killed and gunman shot dead after opening fire at Mercy Hospital

Suspect entered facility on city’s South Side and started firing

Active shooter and multiple victims near Mercy Hospital in Chicago

At least four people have died – one of them a police officer – after a gunman opened fire inside Chicago‘s Mercy Hospital.

Officers rushed to the celebrated hospital and medical centre amid reports of multiple casualties after a suspect entered the facility on the city’s South Side and started firing. It was reported the suspect, said by CNN to be a 32-year-old man, was killed in the incident, though it was not immediately clear if he had taken his own life or was shot by police. Some unconfirmed reports said his primary target was his ex-fiancee.

Anthony Guglielmi, chief communications officer for the Chicago Police Department, tweeted for people to “avoid area. Heavy police response incoming”.

A police official told NBC News that the hospital had been partially evacuated, while officers searched the premises. Some people were hiding in locked rooms. A nearby school was also placed on lockdown for a period, though students were later allowed to go home.

Mr Guglielmi named the killed Chicago police officer as Samuel Jimenez. He tweeted that "three innocent victims and the cowardly gunman who deserves to be nameless were killed tonight".

To see how events unfolded see our live coverage below

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[19 November 2018 22:13 · Lucy Anna Gray]

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the incident near Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.

[19 November 2018 22:16 · Lucy Anna Gray]

Chicago police say they are responding to a shooting near a hospital with "reports of multiple victims" on the South Side of Chicago.

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said officers are searching the hospital.

[19 November 2018 22:17 · Lucy Anna Gray]

At least one "possible offender is shot", according to police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, but people are still being asked to avoid the area.

[19 November 2018 22:20 · Lucy Anna Gray]

  ↵Here is the tweet from Anthony Guglielmi: 

[19 November 2018 22:23 · Lucy Anna Gray]

Footage shared to Twitter appears to show inside Mercy Hospital, which police are currently searching: 

[19 November 2018 22:25 · Lucy Anna Gray]

A police official told the local NBC News affiliate the hospital has been partially evacuated, but comments on social media suggest some people are still in the building (see the below post).

[19 November 2018 22:26 · Lucy Anna Gray]

Here is our full news story on the shooting:

[19 November 2018 22:29 · Lucy Anna Gray]

Television footage showed several people, including some wearing white coats, walking through a parking lot with their arms up. 

[19 November 2018 22:36 · Clark Mindock]

The Chicago Police officer who was shot is receiving excellent care for his critical condition, according to police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi. 

He has yet to release further updates on the incident, via his Twitter account.

[19 November 2018 22:37 · Clark Mindock]

The mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, is aware of the shooting, and is at the city's public safety headquarters.