Saturday's tragic event outside the Tauranga Hospital Emergency Department is a stark reminder of how vulnerable we all could be to a random act of violence.
A firearm being brandished directly outside the doors of a hospital is an extremely serious incident.
With staff and members of the public coming and going
through the hospital's adjacent main entrance, and with traffic passing just metres away on busy Cameron Road, a person carrying a loaded weapon poses a chilling threat.
And yet there is no realistic way to prevent an individual from doing such a thing.
The hospital is a public facility and must be easily accessible to those in need.
Emergency Departments in particular have long been scenes of trouble, frequently handling patients who may be drunk, on drugs or who have been involved in violent altercations. Consequently, security guards are usually on hand to deal with any disruptions and to keep staff safe.
In the main hospital, security is also in attendance and one hopes would be on the alert for a person entering the building intent on causing harm.
But if a weapon is involved, the outcome could nevertheless be catastrophic.
The hospital, of course, is not to blame. This is merely a symptom of the danger of today's society rearing its ugly head.
As well as emergency staff, mental health workers can be particularly vulnerable to such occurrences.
Only six months ago, the hospital was the scene of a standoff between armed police and an intruder who came to the community mental health offices carrying an imitation pistol.
Surrounding streets were cordoned off until police defused the situation.
Following that drama, hospital management said its procedures had worked effectively and the incident was a "random" event.
Saturday's was also a "random" event.
How can staff and the public be protected from the next one?
- Laura Franklin, editor
