Breaking news: Armed MPMC intruder caught at KVA


On March 26, 2009 at 12:36 p.m., security employees of Maria Parham Medical Center observed through video monitoring an unidentified male retrieving a firearm from an automobile.

The male was seen running towards the physician’s entrance of the hospital and entering through the basement.

Vance Emergency 911 was notified and officers of the Henderson Police Department arrived on scene in less than two minutes. The hospital followed normal protocol procedures and went into “lock-down”, and officers began systematically searching the hospital floor by floor.

Intelligence gathering on scene identified the suspect as John Christopher Cole, 17, of 315 MLK Jr. Drive in Greensboro, NC.

Cole was subsequently located away from the Maria Parham Medical Center at Kerr Vance Academy, where he is a student. The alleged firearm was recovered with the assistance of the suspect. The weapon was identified as a BB gun.

Cole was arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana, possession of alcohol under age, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a weapon on school grounds.