Florida – The author of the Florida Hospital shooting that left two deaths has been identified as David Owens, 29. Around Sunday 2:00 am, David Owens, 29 entered the Parrish Medical Center in Titusville, which is near the Kennedy Space Center.
He reached the third-floor room of 88-year-old patient Cynthia Zingsheim and then shot and killed her and 36-year-old hospital employee Carrie Rouzer using a handgun. Two unarmed security guards tackled down Owens, then “held him down for arriving officers” said Commander Todd Hutchinson. He has been booked into the Brevard County Jail and charged with two counts of murder. If Owens is found guilty of first-degree murder, he could face the capital punishment.
Titusville Police Chief John Lau paid tribute to both the guards and the response of the Parrish Medical staff.
This is not Owens’ first encounter with the law. His first arrest was in 2012 for loitering and prowling as well as resisting an officer without violent intimidation. He then was arrested in 2014 and accused of domestic battery. And finally, in 2015 and 2016 he was picked up for cocaine and marijuana possession.
According to the WFTV, Owens “was involuntarily committed at least twice”, although Amanda Castro from WKMG claimed there was “nothing in Owens’ criminal record to suggest that he would perpetrate a shooting”.
Chief Lau told the media that “investigators have not been able to determine a motive at this time, nor any connection to the victims.” Commander Hutchinson stated in a news release that “they are continuing to investigate this tragic incident.”
Chief Lau also claimed the hospital is operating “business as usual” with extra security on the scene and that the handgun was found in Zingsheim’s room. The Parrish Medical Center was founded in 1958 by Jess Parrish.
According to its Facebook Page, the Parrish Medical Center “is a nationally recognized industry leader having earned a number of prestigious recognitions, including Modern Healthcare Magazine’s Top 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare and Spirit of Excellence Awards, America’s #1 Healing Hospital for three consecutive years, HealthGrades® Outstanding Patient Experience Award™, Hospital of Choice Award, National Spirit of Women Premier Hospital, and a disease-specific certification gold seal from the Joint Commission in stroke.”
This is not the first shooting in the hospital. In 2009, Yolanda Garvin-Williams, a hospital employee was shot dead by her husband Jeremiah Williams in the parking lot. WESH stated in 2012 that Williams’ first trial ended in a hung jury and a second trial began later that year. Finally, in May of 2012, Williams was found guilty of the murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Sources: CBS News