Two key pieces of information surrounding the March 2 shooting at Aurora Sinai Medical Center changed Thursday, with family announcing a victim who was declared dead remained on life support, and the firing of hospital security staff for failing to stop a weapon from entering the hospital, following an internal review.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office said Christopher Robinson Jr., 40, was declared dead on March 2, but an attorney for his family said March 5 that Robinson remains on life support. That update comes as the hospital and the attorney detail more about the night Robinson was shot – including that security staff failed to follow hospital policy when they neglected to use a handheld screening wand on the suspect.
“This is a very tragic situation,” attorney B’Ivory LaMarr told reporters at a March 5 press conference. “It’s also very preventable. What took place a couple days ago should never occur in any health facility in the city.”
Robinson and one other man were shot in the shooting. The other man survived.
An Aurora Sinai spokesperson said in a statement the hospital’s internal review found the building’s metal detectors were working, but fired staff members who did not use a handheld screening wand. The statement did not include how many staff were fired or how its metal detectors failed to detect a weapon.
The hospital has implemented additional security, such as additional training, enhanced entry screening and a K-9 unit that detects firearms, said the statement. It said the hospital was limited in how much information can be shared, due to an ongoing police investigation.
“We remain heartbroken by the incident in our emergency department lobby,” the statement said.
LaMarr said Robinson, his mother and his girlfriend arrived at Aurora Sinai Medical Center’s emergency department around 10:30 p.m. Robinson was seeking medical care for a hip issue, LaMarr said, relaying information given to him by Robinson’s mother.
LaMarr said the person responsible for the shooting was already inside the emergency department and described it as a random, unprovoked act of violence. The family does not know the shooter, he said.
LaMarr and the family is exploring potential legal action, he said, adding there has been a lack of information from police and the hospital in regard to what happened. LaMarr is calling for surveillance footage to be released.
Milwaukee police arrested a suspect in the shooting and charges have not yet been filed.
“This tragedy is as shocking as it is disturbing,” LaMarr said in a statement. “Hospitals are supposed to be places where people go for healing and protection — not places where patients and their families are exposed to deadly violence. The fact that someone could enter an emergency department with a firearm and open fire raises serious questions about safety and security.”
Death declaration disputed
The new details come as Robinson’s family has taken issue with the decision to declare Robinson dead.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner classified Robinson as brain-dead on March 2, issuing what is known as a demographic report, a document the office routinely issues following someone’s death. News organizations subsequently reported Robinson was dead. Milwaukee police subsequently confirmed Robinson’s death in an email.
LaMarr, who was with Robinson and his family at Froedtert Hospital prior to the March 5 press conference, said Robinson is still alive, but confirmed he no longer has brain function. He said the family was hoping for a miracle and discussing whether or not to keep him on life support.
“The family does understand the reality of the circumstances and what he’s up against,” LaMarr said.
Timothy Schabo, operations manager for the medical examiner’s office, said the office stood by its decision to issue the demographic report. But Schabo acknowledged the office made a mistake in saying Robinson had been taken in for an autopsy.
The medical examiner’s office on March 5 reissued Robinson’s demographic report, with a note correcting that he had not yet been sent to the agency for an autopsy.
A spokesperson for LaMarr previously told the Journal Sentinel was critical of the decision to pronounce Robinson dead.
“I think that’s absolutely cruel for that kind of rumor to be spreading,” spokesperson Tanya Wiley said.
David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com.
Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ArseneauKelli.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Aurora Sinai shooting victim declared dead is still on life support, hospital staff fired
Reporting by David Clarey, Kelli Arseneau and Steven Martinez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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