Dramatic surveillance footage shows a blood-covered naked man charging at a police officer with a jagged piece of glass before being shot inside a Southern California hospital.
Luis Ramirez-Macias, 46, lunged at Simi Valley Police Officer Carly Grice inside Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks on July 2, where he was under police guard after allegedly trying to kill his wife earlier that day. The shooting happened around 12:20 p.m. While Ramirez-Macias was being treated for self-inflicted wounds, according to police accounts.
The disturbing footage shows Ramirez-Macias naked and smeared with blood as he moves through the hospital clutching what police said was a makeshift weapon made from a shattered glass vial. Grice can be seen backing away as Ramirez-Macias advances toward her before she fires a single shot.
Hospital staff then rushed in to provide medical aid to the wounded suspect, who survived the shooting and remained hospitalized for several days. Grice used her gun and struck Ramirez-Macias one time, and hospital personnel immediately treated him for his wounds, according to police spokesman Steve Samples.
Police said the incident unfolded when Grice, who was supervising Ramirez-Macias at the hospital, noticed the suspect needed immediate medical attention and called hospital staff to help him. During the assessment, Ramirez-Macias grabbed a glass medication vial, shattered it and used the broken glass as an improvised edged weapon, according to police.
He allegedly used the glass to hurt himself before attacking Grice, prompting her to fire her department-issued weapon once. Ventura County Sheriff’s officials offered little details of what happened in the immediate aftermath, citing their ongoing investigation of the officer-involved shooting.
Ramirez-Macias was treated for his injuries and remained at the hospital for several days before being released and booked into the Ventura County Main Jail. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the officer-involved shooting as it occurred within its jurisdiction.
Within two hours of the shooting, Los Robles issued a statement assuring the community that all patients, staff and visitors were safe and that the hospital was operating normally, according to the Simi Valley Acorn.
“Our priority remains providing uninterrupted, high-quality care for our patients,” the hospital said.
In the viral moment that preceded the hospital confrontation, officers were called to a Simi Valley home on July 2 over a domestic dispute, where they found Ramirez-Macias and his wife suffering stab wounds. Investigators determined Ramirez-Macias had allegedly attempted to kill his wife before harming himself, the Simi Valley Police Department said. Both were hospitalized, with Ramirez-Macias taken to Los Robles Hospital and placed under Grice’s supervision.
The case has drawn attention to the dangers officers face when supervising violent suspects in medical settings, as well as the challenges hospitals face in maintaining security during police custody situations. The surveillance footage released by authorities has circulated widely online, showing the split-second decisions required in such encounters.
Ramirez-Macias faces charges related to the alleged domestic violence attack and the subsequent hospital confrontation. The Ventura County District Attorney’s office is expected to review the case as the sheriff’s investigation continues.