A man was arrested after allegedly firing a shotgun in a Grand Forks psychiatric center on Thursday afternoon.
No one was injured in the incident, which occurred shortly after 2:30 p.m. at the Richard P. Stadter Psychiatric Center, 1451 44th Ave. S.
Police were dispatched after receiving a call that a man armed with a shotgun was inside the center. Shortly after the first call, police received a second call saying the man was inside an office with a doctor, according to the police.
When police arrived, they learned a shot had been fired. They entered the building and arrested the man, who was in his mid-50s, without incident and seized the weapon. Police confirmed that a shot had been fired inside the office.
The man was not a resident at the center, police and Stadter Center officials said. His name was not released.
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Dr. Thomas Peterson, director of the center, said the male patient has been "suffering mentally a lot and was in a lot of pain."
"His life had been unbearable for him . . . He's just been through an awful lot," he said.
Whether the man attempted to take his own life is not clear, and Peterson would not confirm.
"Thankfully, our staff followed the emergency procedure, and the psychologist who was with the man talked with the patient and succeeded to calm him," Peterson said. "The most important thing is no one was hurt, and our staff reacted excellently."
Peterson said there was no physical confrontation and that the situation lasted about 15 minutes.
About 30 staff members work in the Center for Psychiatric Care building, Peterson said.
Peterson said the man, who did not have an appointment Thursday, held the gun in sight when he walked in, and staff alerted others in the building and called 911.
The proper procedure is to evacuate the building and then call 911, Peterson said, which staff followed.
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The suspect was taken to Altru Hospital by ambulance. The incident remains under investigation and charges are pending, police said.
