A routine break turned into a nightmare for three Henry Ford Warren Hospital employees

Walter Smith, 31, was arraigned on nine charges Thursday after police say he pulled a handgun on three hospital workers during their overnight break in Warren.

The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on June 3, 2026, outside Henry Ford Warren Hospital near 12 Mile and Hoover roads, according to ClickOnDetroit.

The attack and the lockdown

Sources told Local 4 that a man approached the three ER workers while they were taking a routine break. He pointed a gun at them and ordered them not to move, police said.

“Subject with a gun -- it’s gonna be at Henry Ford Warren.”

“Subject just pulled a gun on ER staff,” one dispatcher said, according to dispatch audio captured by Broadcastify.

The workers ran away and called 911. The suspect fled in a vehicle and ended up in Detroit, sources said.

Henry Ford Health confirmed the hospital was placed on a brief lockdown while security and Warren police responded to the scene.

Motive: an ex-girlfriend

Sources told ClickOnDetroit that the alleged attacker’s ex-girlfriend works at the same hospital. He had been attempting to get her to come outside to see him, according to sources.

The accused gunman was speaking on the phone with her when he began threatening the employees, sources said.

Arrest and charges

Warren police arrested Smith later that afternoon. He is on federal probation for robbery and use of a firearm during a violent crime in an unrelated incident, according to ClickOnDetroit.

Smith was arraigned on June 5 in Warren’s 37th District Court on the following charges:

  • Two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon
  • Carrying a concealed weapon
  • Weapon possession by a prohibited person
  • Brandishing a weapon in public
  • Driving without a valid license
  • Three felony firearm charges

His bond was set for $500,000. He is due back in court at 8:45 a.m. June 25 for a probable cause conference, according to the arraigning court.

Worker frustration and police response

Some employees expressed frustration with the response, according to sources. Workers who feared backlash told ClickOnDetroit they were upset with both Henry Ford Health security and Warren police. They questioned how the incident happened and how the suspect was able to escape.

“The results speak for themselves,” a spokesperson with Warren police said Wednesday afternoon. “We acted on it immediately. We made an arrest and we did recover a gun. A lot of assets were deployed by the Warren Police Department.”

Police said they have remained in constant contact with Henry Ford Health’s head of security and have maintained additional patrols at the hospital since the incident.

Hospital statement

Henry Ford Health released the following statement:

“Henry Ford Warren Hospital was briefly placed on lockdown this morning as our security and local law enforcement responded to an incident outside the building. We refer all questions about the incident to Warren Police, who are investigating. Our spaces are places of healing, and the safety and wellbeing of our patients, visitors, and team members remains our highest priority. We do not tolerate violence of any kind, and we work hard every day to ensure our campuses are safe, supportive spaces for everyone who works, visits, or comes to us for care.”

Warren police said investigators are still determining whether the case will proceed in state court or as federal charges, according to ClickOnDetroit.