What was initially reported as a potential shooting on Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 10, 2024 at St. Anne Hospital in Burien turned out to be a false alarm, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO).
Burien Police/KCSO Deputies responded to the hospital shortly after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, following reports of a possible shooting incident.
The facility was briefly placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure while law enforcement assessed the situation.
“Was driving my wife to her chemo appointment at St. Anne’s Cancer Center … at about 12:30 p.m. and saw police cars with full lights headed south toward me,” an eyewitness told The B-Town Blog. “I turned into the hospital and two Burien cop cars turned in after me. I took the first right toward the cancer center – and the cops followed, blipping their sirens. I turned right again into the cancer center and the cops continued up the hill toward the emergency entrance. I wheeled my wife into the center just in time – they locked it down for about 20 minutes.”
Upon investigation, authorities confirmed that no shooting had taken place, and the scene was cleared without further incident.
The lockdown was lifted soon after.
Officials continue to emphasize the importance of reporting any suspicious activity, while noting that such precautions are necessary to ensure public safety.