Three employees injured, patient in custody after stabbing at Halifax ER

Three people were injured during a 'weapons complaint' at the QEII hospital in Halifax on Wednesday.

Three employees are injured and a patient is in custody following a stabbing in the emergency department at the Halifax Infirmary site of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre.

Nova Scotia Health Minister Michelle Thompson says Halifax Regional Police responded to the hospital on Bell Road for a “Code Silver” around 1 p.m. Wednesday.

“A code silver is that there is someone armed or with a weapon in a certain area,” said Thompson.

The minister says police remain on scene but adds there is no threat to the public at this time.

Thompson did not confirm the extent of the injuries sustained by staff members.

“We just wish those individuals very well,” she said. “We’re very concerned and very sorry that this happened.”

Staff are on-site at the hospital to support people who witnessed the incident.

Thompson said she could not provide any further details due to the ongoing investigation.

However, an employee with the Nova Scotia health minister’s office confirmed to CTV News the incident was a stabbing.

“I also want to reassure health care and support staff across the province that we will continue to work with our health-care and union partners to make workplaces as safe as possible,” said Thompson.

" … We work very hard to prevent violence in our workplaces and in our hospital and I believe that the ongoing investigation will reveal any root causes and help us understand what happened today."

Thompson also commended hospital staff for their quick response in an “incredibly difficult situation.”

“I will be in close touch with Nova Scotia Health for updates as they become available,” said Thompson.

Nova Scotia Health said the QEII emergency department was only accepting life-threatening cases due to a “security incident” Wednesday afternoon, but it resumed normal operations around 6 p.m.

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