Daytona Beach Police are investigating after a scary morning for patients and nurses at a Volusia County hospital.
It started around 4 a.m. Sunday at Halifax Health Medical Center of Daytona Beach.
Police said 20-year-old Jonathan Rodriguez-Jeff pulled into a hospital parking lot and crashed into a gate. He then shot the driver's side window out with a 12-gauge shotgun, looking for something.
The gunman then crossed the street and shot at one moving car, striking the grill but not the windshield.
The driver of that car told police he saw Rodriguez holding the shotgun and making his way to the hospital.
Police said the gunman shot up a couple of car windows outside the hospital before going to a locked hospital door.
Rodriguez shot out the front entrance of the hospital's Professional Building, went up to the second floor and confronted nurses, asking “Do you want to die tonight?”
Fortunately, one of those nurses sounded the alarm and the hospital was put on lockdown.
We are told Rodriguez did pistol-whip several nurses.
He then went into a room where a patient and a nurse witnessed the suspect turn the shotgun on himself, committing suicide.
"The results could have been a whole lot different,” said Jimmie Flynt, a police department spokesman. He had the opportunity, he didn't. I'm sure the nurses and the patients are thankful that he really didn't want to hurt them."
Police are trying to determine Rodriguez's motive.
Flynt said the gunman had a stamp and a wristband on his wrist, which possibly indicates he was at a nightclub before arming himself and going into the hospital.
Halifax Health issued the following statement Sunday morning:
This morning an individual, being pursued by the Daytona Beach Police Department, broke into Halifax Health and ended his life. As the individual entered the Halifax Health campus, the entire facility was locked down. We are thankful no one was seriously injured. The Halifax Health security department, medical staff and the Dayton Beach Police Department did an exemplary job in minimizing the risk. All staff policies were followed. The safety of patients, visitors and staff is our number one priority.