John Moreira was inside the hospital as the incident unfolded. He had come in for day surgery. He said a distressed female made an urgent announcement over the public address system. He and others at the scene said areas of the hospital were put in lockdown.

"She was just so distressed," Moreira said. "You could hear the distress in her voice, and that was good because it woke everybody up."

Carrie Josh was outside the hospital when about a dozen police vehicles, including a tactical unit, arrived on the scene.

"The SWAT team started going inside the building, cocking their weapons to get ready," she said. "I had never heard that sound before. It was very shocking."

Other people said the scene around the emergency department was chaotic and frightful. Many said it was like a scene more in character with a large, troubled American city, and very incongruous for Guelph.

Lori Morton was at the hospital visiting her daughter, who just gave birth. Morton and her daughter went outside of the hospital for fresh air. Shortly after, police vehicles descended on the location.

"It was difficult for my daughter because she wasn't allowed to go back and see her baby," Morton said.

"I'm shocked," Trina Boone said. "We're just not used to seeing stuff like this happen here, seeing police cruisers and emergency tape everywhere. Not at a hospital."

Moreira said nurses inside the hospital were "scrambling" everywhere. "They knew it was very serious."

Moreira said nurses inside the hospital were "scrambling" everywhere. "They knew it was very serious."

Shortly after the incident, a group of about 25 people gathered along the sidewalk to watch as police and SIU investigators arrived, and hospital and EMS personnel convened near the emergency department entrance. The entrance to the department was cordoned off with police tape.

The Guelph Police Service confirmed its officers were involved in the shooting but deferred making any further comment to the Special Investigations Unit.

roflanagan@guelphmercury.com