Update (12:38pm 7/16) Essentia Health tells Flag Family News the lockdown has now been lifted
Update (10:08am 7/16) Flag Family News Reporter Austin Erickson was told by someone who works in the building that a patient who was seen the previous day on Tuesday made a threat of some kind.
That Essentia employee says staff is working to alert people who have appointments that all are cancelled until noon.
Update (9:46am 7/16) Essentia Health issued a statement about the situation:
‘Due to a security concern, the Essentia Health-Fargo campus is currently on lockdown with no unbadged individuals being allowed into the building out of an abundance of caution. Scheduled patient encounters are being cancelled until noon today.
We are extremely grateful for the quick action of our staff and response by our law enforcement partners.
We are actively gathering all the facts to complete a full incident investigation with Fargo Police Department and Moorhead Police Department.’
(Original story below)
Fargo, N.D. – The Essentia Health hospital on 32nd Avenue South in Fargo is currently on lockdown over a security threat.
A hospital source tells WDAY Radio that someone who was inside the facility on Wednesday morning made a threat to carry out a mass shooting.
Authorities are said to be looking right now for the person who made the threat.
The city of Fargo also confirmed the incident in a statement to Flag Family News:
“The Fargo Police Department received a report of a threatening phone call made to Essentia Health and is currently investigating the validity of the threat,” read the statement.
“At this time, we do not believe there is a threat to the public. Essentia Health made the decision to go into lockdown out of an abundance of caution. We’ll share any confirmed updates as they become available.”
Flag Family News will provide updates as they become available.
