Dr. Michael Davidson, the surgeon wounded Tuesday in a shooting at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, died of his injuries Wednesday, Boston police announced.
The suspected shooter, 55-year-old Stephen Pasceri, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police found him just after 11 a.m. Tuesday, after responding to a call for shots fired at the hospital.
Pasceri, a resident of Milbury, was pronounced dead on the scene.
Several witnesses told police that Pasceri entered the Shapiro Building and asked to speak with Davidson. Investigators believe that during their conversation, Pasceri produced a .40-caliber pistol and fired two shots, the Boston Globe reported.
Pasceri did have a license to carry a firearm, WCVB reports.
Motive still remains unclear, though the suspect’s mother, Marguerite Pasceri, was a patient of Davidson’s and died Nov. 15, 2014.
Davidson, 44, had been a cardiovascular surgeon at Brigham and Women’s since 2006 and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. He leaves behind three children and his wife, a fellow surgeon.
BPD’s full press release is below:
Boston Police Responds to Active Shooter Incident at Brigham and Women’s Hospital - Today, Tuesday, January 20, 2015, at approximately 11:07 AM, numerous officers from Area B-2 (Roxbury) responded to the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Shapiro Building, 70 Francis Street, Boston, for a report of shots fired inside that location. Responding officers were directed to a second floor office area and located a crime scene. Initial information gathered at the scene suggests that the suspect, identified as 55-year-old Stephen Pasceri of Millbury, MA, entered the Shapiro Building and asked to speak with a specific doctor by name who is employed by the hospital. Investigators have reason to believe that at some point during his meeting with that doctor, Pasceri took out a gun and fired two shots, striking the victim both times. It is believed that Pasceri then turned the gun on himself taking his own life.
During the incident, responding officers and hospital staff worked together under extreme conditions to render help to the victim as well as ensuring the safety of all those in the immediate and surrounding area. Within sixteen minutes, the entire incident was brought under control and no further injuries resulted. The exceptional response by officers and hospital staff was the direct result of active shooter training that has been recently provided to the hospital staff by the Boston Police Department. This type of training continues to occur with our health care partners and after today’s incident has proven to an invaluable exercise dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of those impacted by or confronted with an active shooter situation.
The victim was taken from the scene and treated for life threatening injuries. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
