Conroe police say after a woman was taken to HCA Houston Healthcare in Conroe for a mental health evaluation, she pulled out a gun and fired shots.
KPRC has been asking law enforcement how the woman managed to get into the hospital armed.
“The training is so important,” CEO of Mental Health America of Greater Houston, Renae Tomczak said.
Tomczak is talking about de-escalating a mental health crisis situation.
”Often people become agitated. That’s a good, common symptom,” she said.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says on Tuesday, Harris County EMS responded to a call for a woman in a mental crisis at the 14400 block of the North Freeway.
Deputies arrived to help, and that’s where the questions begin.
Did deputies search her for a weapon before she was taken by ambulance to HCA Houston Healthcare in Conroe?
Harris County Sheriff’s Office officials won’t answer but say it’s under investigation.
Conroe police says the woman’s arms and legs were strapped to a gurney when she managed to pull out a gun from under her dress and fire two shots.
An EMS worker managed to disarm her and luckily no one was hurt.
Conroe police say EMS workers were notified that the woman had a weapon when they initially got to the North Freeway location and were asked to stay back.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office say they’ve launched an Internal Affairs and Office of Inspector General inquiry into the actions of their deputies on that initial call for service.
Tomczak says she wants people to understand every mental health crisis is unique and that not every situation turns violent.
“When we conflate mental illness with violence, it’s stigmatizing and it certainly sets us back in terms of people seeking help,” she said.
The woman was charged with Deadly Conduct and Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon.