Convicted Felon Charged With Illegal Possession of Firearm In Connection With Jesse Brown VA Medical Center Shooting
CHICAGO (CBS)-- A convicted felon was charged Tuesday afternoon in connection with a gunfire incident at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center a day earlier, prosecutors said.
Bernard Harvey Jr., 40, has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm in connection with the Monday incident, according to the U.S States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
The U.S. Attorney's Office noted that Harvey was previously convicted in Cook County court of multiple felonies – including gun offenses – and was not legally allowed to possess a firearm. His first firearms offense, to which he pleaded guilty, dates back to 1996. In 2004, he went to prison for four years carrying a firearm as a convicted felon.
Officials said the rifle that Harvey allegedly fired at the VA medical center had been reported stolen last month from a federal firearms licensee in Indiana, the complaint states.
The FBI said around 2:30 p.m. Monday, shots were first fired into the hospital entrance on Taylor Street – shattering the glass. Shots from the assault rifle continued inside.
No one was injured.
Officials said Harvey, of Indianapolis, illegally possessed the rifle he used on Aug. 12 at the medical center located at 820 S. Damen Ave.
Harvey was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday at 2 p.m.
The hospital spokesperson emailed CBS 2 stating:
"While there is no longer a threat from the shooter, the facility has made security adjustments to ensure the safety of patients and visitors."
The spokesperson also said that Monday the hospital's security practices worked because no one was injured.
In the past, the VA has said officials work to strike a delicate balance between protecting the medical centers and maintaining an accessible open environment.
