MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee man has been charged in connection with a shooting inside Aurora Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee earlier this week.
Ronnell Shaw Jr., 38, was charged Friday with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Monday's shooting left one man brain-dead and another injured.
If convicted, Shaw could face more than 90 years in prison.
Attorney B'Ivory LaMarr is representing the family of Christopher Robinson, the 40-year-old who was shot inside the hospital. LaMarr said Robinson is still alive but on life support. TMJ4 called the county medical examiner's office for clarification, and they said Robinson is brain-dead.
Aurora Sinai Medical Center is promising better security after the shooting.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Two people shot inside Aurora Sinai sparking hospital safety concerns
Previous coverage: Aurora Sinai: Handheld-wand screening missed before fatal shooting
In a statement released Thursday, the hospital said metal detectors were working as intended at the time of the shooting. After a person goes through the metal detector, a handheld wand screening is supposed to be conducted — but the hospital said that step was not followed.
"...a handheld wand screening was not conducted appropriately. This was in violation of our policy and the individuals responsible are no longer with the organization," the statement said.
LaMarr called the incident "preventable" and said changes need to be made to the health-care facility's security.
"This is a public risk. This is a public threat at this facility. And we want to make sure that this never happens again," LaMarr said.
According to Aurora Sinai, security enhancements have been put in place, including deploying a K-9 firearm-detection unit, enhancing screening procedures, implementing additional training and increasing the presence of security personnel.
"We remain heartbroken by the incident in our emergency department lobby and our thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones and everyone affected, including our own dedicated care teams," the statement said.
The Robinson family issued the following statement after the charges against Shaw were announced:
"The Robinson family has learned that the individual responsible for shooting Christopher Robinson inside the emergency department of Aurora Sinai Medical Center has now been formally charged.
The Robinson family is grateful that law enforcement and prosecutors have moved swiftly to bring charges against the individual responsible.
**While this development represents an important first step in the criminal justice process, it does not begin to answer the many serious questions surrounding how such a horrific act was allowed to occur inside a hospital emergency room — a place where patients and their families should expect care, protection, and safety.
Our focus is now on helping this family through what is a very difficult and challenging time. We are asking for the community's continued prayers."
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
