Home

  • Home
    • » e-Newsletters

Hospital employee shot by estranged husband

Healthcare Security Weekly, October 24, 2005

Hickory, NC, police say Howard McGrady entered Frye Regional Medical Center and shot his estranged wife, Judy, reports the Charlotte Observer.

Judy McGrady is an employee of the hospital, where she works as a transcriptionist in the outpatient services department. Howard McGrady entered the hospital around 10:40 a.m. Wednesday and went right to his wife's office.

He fired three shots, hitting her only once before other hospital employees tackled him and knocked the gun away until security arrived. Judy McGrady survived the incident and is listed as stable.

Howard is charged with first-degree murder as police and hospital security try to determine if they could have done anything to prevent the shooting.

Police say the McGradys were having marital problems and Judy had moved out of their house, but they aren't saying if there was a history of violence between the two.

The hospital is discussing upgrading security measures, as there are no metal detectors or check-in policy, but officials say it is too early to know what they will specifically change.

Most Popular