Patient who shot KC hospital security guard spoke of coming off ‘meth bender:’ Affidavit
A 40-year-old patient who disarmed and shot a security guard inside University Health in Kansas City on Friday told detectives he was recovering from a “meth bender” and had been hallucinating, according to a police affidavit filed in Jackson County Circuit Court.
Prosecutors have charged the patient, Shawn R. Caskey, of Independence, with first-degree assault, a Class A felony, unlawful weapon use and two counts of armed criminal action.
Caskey is being held in the county jail on a $100,000 bond, according to online court records.
Kansas City police officers were called to University Health, 2301 Holmes St., formerly known as Truman Medical Center, around 8:40 a.m. Friday on a report of an active shooter in the emergency room. Private security officers had Caskey in custody when police arrived, the affidavit says, and Caskey was taken to KCPD headquarters for questioning.
Witnesses reported that Caskey became erratic as he was about to be discharged from the hospital. He emptied a nurse’s water bottle in the hallway and ripped a computer from a wall, the affidavit says, before two security officers pinned him to a bed.
But Caskey got up and removed the firearm from one officer’s holster, according to the affidavit, and shot the guard once in the arm. A nurse called for help and put a tourniquet on the security officer’s arm as he crawled out of the hospital room.
Caskey pointed the gun at the other security guard’s head, the affidavit says. That security guard disarmed Caskey.
Once Caskey was in handcuffs, a witness heard Caskey say: “I could have killed you but I didn’t.”
Detectives interviewed hospital employees who reported Caskey had been “jerking around the room” and talking to himself out loud before the shooting. A doctor had determined Caskey could be discharged and told security to make him leave based on his behavior in the hospital, the affidavit says.
During an interview with police, Caskey allegedly said he shot “the guy” because he “was grabbing me.” He also described being told “the war was over” and learning “the war wasn’t over so he thought he needed to escape.”
“He also stated he killed the devil. The interview was ended at the time,” a Kansas City detective wrote in the affidavit supporting criminal charges for Caskey.
Online records show Caskey made his initial appearance before a Jackson County judge on Monday. He was referred for screening to be represented by a public defender, though court records did not list an attorney assigned to the case as of Monday evening.
The Star’s Kendrick Calfee contributed to this report.
