Police: Struggle with murder suspect in Virginia Beach hospital led to officer’s gun going off
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While arresting a murder suspect Friday at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, a struggle led to a police officer’s gun discharging in a hospital stairwell.
No one was injured and there was never an active shooter in the building despite social media reports, Virginia Beach police said.
In a statement released Saturday morning, police said an officer arrived at the hospital to take Matthew Christie into custody.
Christie, 38, is charged with first-degree murder and malicious assault of his 74-year-old mother, Linda Christie, who was found dead Oct. 16. Police had responded to their home in the 2400 block of Loran Court after a request to check on the welfare of the residents.
At the time, Matthew Christie had serious injuries and was taken to Virginia Beach General.
On Friday, he fled from the arresting officer, who caught up to him in a stairwell “where an extensive struggle ensued,” police said in the statement. Officials said Christie attempted to disarm the officer, leading to his handgun discharging.
No one else was in the stairwell at the time and Christie was eventually restrained and taken into custody, police said. He’ll face additional charges from the incident.
Hospital staff on Friday initially received notifications there was an active shooter. Sentara Healthcare spokesperson Lauren Patton said any time there is a suspected incident, alerts go out to staff as a precaution.
Katherine Hafner, 757-222-5208, katherine.hafner@pilotonline.com
