Hospital’s new weapon detector seizes 23 knives

A new weapons detection system has been live at London Health Sciences Centre for a little more than a week, and already staff are reporting nearly two dozen knives intercepted.

During a hospital update Thursday, LHSC Supervisor David Musyj said the AI-based detection system flagged 23 knives entering the University Hospital emergency room in its first week of operation.

In each case, Musyj said the person bringing in the knife returned to their vehicle to drop it off outside the hospital.

He also said in the vast majority of cases, those people posed no threat, however there’s never a need to bring a knife into a hospital.

The weapons detection system was brought in after a shooting outside the emergency room at the Victoria campus in mid-December.

Detectors are expected to be installed at Victoria and Children’s Hospitals early next month.