Wounded doctor returns fire on hospital gunman

A doctor who was grazed by gunfire from a patient in his office at a suburban hospital in Darby, Pennsylvania yesterday helped stop him by apparently returning fire with his own weapon and severely injuring him, but not before a caseworker was killed, authorities said.

A suspected gunman Richard Plotts burst into the hospital's psychiatric ward, killing a female caseworker and wounding the 52-year old psychiatrist before the doctor returned fire and critically injured Plotts, who was also a patient.

The doctor suffered a graze wound to the head.

Plotts, a local man in his mid-30s, is in custody. It is not clear what sparked the violence, but authorities said the suspect, who is in critical condition, has psychiatric issues and had previous run-ins with the staff.