Oakland Police Department

A homeless man armed with a gun burst into the emergency room of Children's Hospital Oakland early Friday and briefly took an employee hostage before surrendering to police, authorities said.

The 49-year-old transient, Cottrell Broadnax, ran into the hospital at 747 52nd St. in North Oakland about 3:15 a.m., pulled a loaded .38-caliber revolver and took the female employee hostage, said Officer Jeff Thomason, a police spokesman.