Two security guards are being hailed as heroes after they tackled a man suspected of shooting a nurse and patient to death in a Titusville hospital early Sunday.
- Matt Dolan, Jason Rowsley tackled gunman at Parrish Medical Center
- Gunman opened fire, killing patient, hospital worker Sunday
- David Owens, 29, charged in killings
“As we were running to that call, we were initialed into a 'code silver,' which is an active shooter,” said Matt Dolan, the Parrish Medical Center security guard responsible for subduing the suspect.
Dolan a security guard at the hospital for more than nine years, recounted the moments before he tackled 29-year-old David Owens to ground.
“He was coming out of the females' bathroom with his hands up and said to me that he had done a 'bad thing,' at which point we put him on the ground and in handcuffs,” Dolan said.
Owens walked into the hospital just after 2 a.m. Sunday, went to the third floor and shot and killed nurse Carrie Rouzer and patient Cynthia Zingsheim, Titusville Police say.
“I opened the door, and there was smoke everywhere, and then I saw the gun on the counter,” said Jason Rowsley, the other security guard responsible for tackling Owens.
Both security guards said say they were simply doing what they’re trained to do.
“Time to go to work — it’s an instant reaction. We don’t have time to second-guess what we have to do. We have to do our jobs,” Dolan said.
Parrish Medical Center does not allow their security to carry guns. When asked whether they’d re-evaluate that decision, they did not have an answer about the future of their safety procedures.