A gunman shot and killed an employee at Eastern State Hospital early Saturday morning, according to the Spokane County sheriff’s office .

The suspect exchanged gunfire with police and was also pronounced dead on the scene, the sheriff’s office said. He was reportedly wearing tactical-type gear, and a rifle and handgun were found near him.

Eastern State Hospital is one of two state-run psychiatric hospitals for adults in Washington and is located in Medical Lake, Washington, west of Spokane.

“Preliminary information indicates that this armed suspect is believed to have been acting erratically in Medical Lake and possibly involved in three incidents that occurred in the same general time frame,” the sheriff’s office said.

These reports described a man making “wild statements,” includi

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