Hospital gunman identified as husband of victim; woman flown to Renown trauma unit with life threatening injuries

This story has been updated with new details about the elderly suspect and possible motive in Sunday's hospital shooting in Carson City. Go here for the update.

UPDATE: The suspect in this morning's shooting at Carson Tahoe Medical Regional Medical Center is the husband of the victim, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong.

William Dresser, 88, was booked on the charge of attempted murder with a deadly weapon and is being held on $225,000 bail.

The victim was flown via Care Flight to Renown Medical Center in Reno. She suffered life threatening injuries after being shot once in the chest allegedly by Dresser.

Here is the latest news release from Sheriff Furlong:

At 11:29 a.m., the Carson City Sheriff’s Office was informed of a shooting at the Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center. According to initial reports, there was one shot fired and one female victim injured. Her condition is not reported, though the gunshot wound to the chest was believed to be serious. One male suspect has been taken into custody. The Suspect is being identified as the victim’s husband, WILLIAM DRESSER, born January 31, 1925. DRESSER was taken into custody and booked at the Carson City Jail on the charge of Attempted Murder with a Deadly Weapon, ($225,000 bail), and Elderly Enhancement charge.

Although the incident was immediately confined to the patient’s room, the Carson hospital was placed in lockdown, which remained in effect for approximately 2 hours. It has been determined that the suspect’s wife was in the hospital for an injury previously incurred. No foul play was previously suspected and details regarding her condition or treatment prior to the shooting will not be released. Following the incident, the victim was transported to Renown Medical Center in Reno.

Sheriff’s Detectives were able to learn that Mr. DRESSER came to the hospital shortly after 11:00 a.m. armed with a recently purchased small caliber semi-automatic handgun. He entered his wife’s room at the Rehabilitation Ward, where she was alone. DRESSER fired a single shot at his wife, striking her in the chest. Hospital staff and Department of Corrections Officers (on duty in the ward, but not associated with this incident) were able to contain this incident and detain DRESSER. No other patient s on the ward (3 patients) were threatened and nursing staff immediately insured their safety and welfare.

The injuries sustained by DRESSER’S wife are considered life threatening. He remains in custody under suicide watch.

UPDATE: The woman shot in a third-floor hospital room at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center was transported this afternoon by Care Flight to the trauma unit at Renown Medical Center in Reno, said hospital spokeswoman Cheri Glockner.
Her condition remains unknown at this time. She was allegedly shot by an 88-year-old man, William Dresser, who is in custody.

Details about their relationship haven't been confirmed. The initial shooting report through Carson City Sheriff's Office dispatch was that a husband shot his wife in the hospital room. The shooting was reported at around 11:30 a.m. There were no other injuries.

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UPDATE: An 88-year-old man has been identified as the suspect in a shooting of a woman this morning at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong. Her condition is unknown.

The alleged shooter, William Dresser, is being interviewed by detectives at the Carson City Sheriff's Office. The motive is unknown at this time. A lockdown at the hospital has been lifted.

The condition of the victim, a woman and believed to be the man's wife, is unknown at this time. She was shot once in the chest with a handgun, said Furlong. No other injuries were reported. The shooting happened on the third floor of the hospital.

Family members of the shooting victim arrived at the hospital and met with detectives.

"This has been very traumatic for us," said hospital spokeswoman Cheri Glockner. "We believe the staff did an amazing job securing the situation."

Glockner said the hospital is no longer on lockdown, which lasted for about 2 hours. The reason for the lockdown was for the sake of nurses and doctors who were taking care of patients not involved in the shooting, Furlong said, adding that the detectives were trying to secure the crime scene area.

Corrections officers on the same floor were able to help hospital security detain Dresser, said Furlong.

"It was very, very quickly under control," said Furlong.

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UPDATE: Carson Tahoe Hospital remains in lockdown after a gunman shot a woman on the third floor of the hospital. The gunman is in custody. The condition of the victim is unknown at this time, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong.

Three other patients and the victim were in the third-floor ward at the time of the shooting, reported at 11:29 a.m. Furlong said there were correctional officers within a couple nearby who assisted in detaining the man.

It is unknown what the motive was in the shooting. There are no other suspects and everyone at the hospital is safe, said Furlong.

The lockdown is a precautionary measure to protect all patients in the building as Carson City Sheriff's detectives investigate.

The age and condition of the victim hasn't been released. Furlong said that he could not comment at this time whether the woman shot was the suspect's wife. At the time the call came into dispatch the report was that a man shot his wife inside her hospital room.

It is unknown whether the victim has or will be transported to Renown Medical Center in Reno, which is Northern Nevada's trauma center, said Furlong.

UDPATE: A man is in custody after allegedly shooting a woman, believed to be his wife, on the third floor of Carson Tahoe Hospital this morning in Carson City. The hospital has been secured. No other injuries are reported.

The shooting was reported at around 11:30 a.m. The woman was moved to the emergency room where she is undergoing emergency surgery. A gun has also been found.

Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said no one else was injured in the shooting and the man is in custody. All other patients in the hospital are safe. Visitors are asked not to come to the hospital during the investigation.

"Everyone in the hospital is safe and there is not a threat to anyone," said Furlong. He would not comment on the woman's condition other than to say she is in the emergency room.

Carson City Sheriff's Office deputies are at the scene and have blocked off access to the crime scene. Visitors to the hospital are being turned away.

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