A 32-year-old man who walked into a North Texas hospital holding a gun to the torso of an infant girl Saturday evening is facing charges.
Late Saturday night, police confirmed they arrested Lorenzo Zarate, of Austin, after they said he walked into the emergency roomat Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in Waxahachie at about 6:23 p.m. holding a gun to a child's body.
Officers said the situation ended without injury a little more than an hour later.
According to a witness, Zarate calmly told the nearly two dozen people inside the ER to leave immediately. Police said Zarate handed the baby over to hospital personnel. Officers also took custody of a second child in Zarate's vehicle in the parking lot.
The ER was evacuated and the hospital was placed into lockdown. After a standoff with police, officers took Zarate into custody at 7:40 p.m.
A police official said Zarate is charged with one count of making a terroristic threat, one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of trying to take a gun from an officer.
Police are not sure why Zarate stopped at the hospital after driving north from Austin along Interstate 35.
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Both children remain in the custody of police and physically unharmed.
Baylor Scott and White Medical Center issued the following statement:
"The safety of our patients, visitors and care team members is a top priority. We are grateful for the leadership displayed by our care team and the Waxahachie Police Department as they helped to bring about a peaceful end to a situation in our emergency department this evening. Our hospital is open and operating normally."
Waxahachie is a city in Ellis county that is about 35 miles south of Dallas.
