A woman is in custody after police say she walked into a rehabilitation center in Royse City and fired several shots from a rifle, prompting an active shooter response from police.
Royse City Police said the woman entered the Royse City Medical Lodge at 901 W. Interstate 30 at about 9:15 a.m. and began shooting while demanding to see a patient.
It's also not clear if the woman targeted anyone in particular or was firing indiscriminately, but Chief of Police Kirk Aldridge told NBC 5 Friday afternoon that no one was injured by the gunfire and it looks like most of the rounds went into the ceiling and wall.
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Aldridge said officers responding to the shots fired call arrived very quickly and began looking for the woman in a hallway where she was last located.
A patient pointed officers toward a room that had been barricaded with furniture. The officers forced the door open and found the woman in the room with two patients. She was armed with an SKS rifle, police said.
The woman, identified by police as 55-year-old Sarah Carter, was taken into custody within six minutes of the first 911 call, Aldridge said.
Carter was booked into the Rockwall County Jail on five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Police said additional charges may be filed.
Police are continuing to investigate the shooting and have not shared a motive for the violence, though they did say the woman has a past relationship with a resident and a history of trespassing at the location.
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Police said they do not believe there is an immediate threat to the community but that people should always try to stay aware of their surroundings.
"Unfortunately this is the world that we live in today, you have to be aware of your surroundings at all times regardless of where you're at -- whether it be a middle school, elementary school, or now a nursing home," said Aldridge. "It's just something that unfortunately we're dealing with. Just always be vigilant and be aware of your surroundings and what's going on. It could be anybody and it could happen at any time."
The Royse City Medical Lodge is a single-story medical facility specializing in short-term rehab, post-hospital recovery and long-term care. The building is located along the I-30 frontage road, adjacent to Anita Scott Elementary School.
Royse City Police said they received assistance responding to the active shooter call from the following agencies: Rockwall County Sheriff's Office, Fate Department of Public Safety, Rockwall Police Department, Royse City Fire Department and the Rockwall County EMS.
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