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May 7, 2008

Security contractor fired after shooting at Zambarano

BURRILLVILLE — In the aftermath of a shooting involving a security guard, the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation & Hospitals has cancelled its contract with a company that provided security services to Zambarano Hospital.

A security guard for the North Providence company, Industrial Security and Investigators, was in violation of a hospital-mandated weapons ban when he allegedly fired a single shot at a knife-wielding intruder on Sunday evening. The intruder ran away and authorities haven’t been able to find him.

The company had been informed of the anti-weapons policy twice prior to the incident, according to an MHRH spokeswoman Laurie Petrone.

“We ended our contract with them yesterday,” Petrone said.

“What is most important is the health and safety of the patients and the staff up at Zambarano Hospital,” she said. “We view this as a serious matter.”

Now, the department is reviewing proposals submitted by other security providers during a recent bidding process. In the interim, MHRH has some security on staff at its facility in Burrillville and both the Capital Police and the State Police will assist with any security issues at the department’s hospital facility in Cranston, Petrone said.

-- Journal Staff Writer Mark Reynolds

Posted by Jack Perry  at 2:44 PM | Permalink

Comments

Deborah Boory | May 7, 2008 6:26 PM link

JTM | May 7, 2008 8:57 PM link

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