Man With Airsoft Gun Prompted Alert At Magee-Womens Hospital

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A bronze safety alert was issued Saturday evening at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC.

Reports of the alert came in around 9 p.m.

The alert read:  "[Magee, waiting room] has reports of a Bronze Alert. All staff should stay clear of this area until further notice. Additional details will be provided as they become available. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Remember: Evacuate, Evade, Engage."

According to our partners at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a bronze alert means "someone had a weapon and all employees were required to stay in place and respond to the alert with their exact locations."

Shortly after reports of the alert, a cancellation was issued.

Around 10:15 p.m, the hospital released a statement:

 "Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC this evening received a report of a person with a weapon on the premises outside the hospital. A suspect in possession of a bb gun was taken into custody by police. Standard security precautions were immediately taken at the facility. UPMC security and law enforcement collaborated to ensure that there was no threat to patients, employees, or visitors."

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A criminal complaint identifies the suspect as 24-year-old Alex Lee Randolph.

According to the complaint, a visitor told a Magee Police officer that he believed Randolph was carrying a firearm. The officer then informed a University of Pittsburgh police officer who was working at the hospital. The two officers stopped Randolph and another man as they were entering the hospital, ordering them to keep their hands visible.

The officers frisked the men for weapons, but did not find any. They were placed in handcuffs until further investigation could be conducted. Both men told officers that they didn't have a gun or bring one into the hospital. After a few minutes, Randolph admitted that he threw the gun into the bushes in front of the hospital on Halket Street and showed the officers where it was.

The criminal complaint describes the weapon as a black plastic airsoft gun with the front orange safety cap partially broken off and covered in black tape.

Randolph has been charged with possession of a weapon that has "no ordinary defense or sporting use."