UPDATE: Hospital no longer in lockdown, suspect apprehended
Joshua W. Maylee
According to a statement by UM Health Care, University Hospital was no longer under lockdown Thursday afternoon.
The Hospital was put in lockdown at noon Wednesday because officials had reason to believe a violent individual may seek access to the hospital, a release stated.
The lockdown is connected to an ongoing investigation in Callaway County, MU Health Care spokeswoman Mary Jenkins said.
"It is being done more as a protection order," MU Police Chief Jack Watring said. "We are concerned that the man that shot and killed three men in Callaway County may return to finish off his fourth victim, who we are treating at University Hospital."
According to a news release from the Callaway County Sheriff's Department, investigators were looking for Joshua William Maylee, who was taken into custody at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Cooper County.
Maylee is a person of interest in multiple homicides.
The homicides happened in the Holts Summit area, a Callaway County Sheriff's Department news release stated. The victim being treated at University Hospital is Gina Werdehausen of Holts Summit. Her husband, Jeffrey Werdehausen is one of the three deceased victims. Eugene Allen Pinet and Jackie Lee Pinet were also killed.
Patients, visitors and staff had access to the hospital during the lockdown but would be screened at the entrance and exit of the hospital.
Watring stressed there was no shooter on campus and there has been no shooting in the area.
"It is simply precautionary, standard procedure if you will," he said.