Man ends his life outside S. Tahoe hospital

Barton Memorial Hospital was on lockdown earlier this month after a man shot himself outside the emergency room.

CEO Clint Purvance on Oct. 24 sent a letter to staff about the suicide that had occurred nine days earlier. In part it said, “… a lockdown was ordered to allow law enforcement and security to assess the area’s safety. It was determined that it was an isolated incident and there was no threat to the hospital, staff, or physicians. The hospital was cleared after 90 minutes.”

Barton workers were alerted to the unresponsive male at about 1:50am Oct. 15. When they went outside he was already dead. It’s not known how long he was there before medical crews arrived.

Barton deferred comment to law enforcement.

South Lake Tahoe Police Chief Brian Uhler said, “Sorry, no info.”

— Lake Tahoe News staff report