‘It could have been so much more worse;’ Police say inmate ran through MVH, pointing gun at staff

DAYTON — An inmate receiving treatment at Miami Valley Hospital shot and killed a security guard before shooting himself near the hospital emergency entrance Wednesday morning.

Major Brian Johns said Thursday morning that the inmate, previously identified as Brian Booth, 30, of Miamisburg, was being treated for what was believed to be a detox-related illness in a private room of the emergency department of the hospital prior to the shooting.

Dayton Police reported that he had been brought to the hospital around 1 a.m. Wednesday.

>> PHOTOS: Isolated shooting incident at Miami Valley Hospital

At approximately 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, police said Booth overpowered a third-party security guard staying with him in the hospital. Johns said Thursday that there was a struggle and the guard, later identified as Darrell Holderman, 78, of Franklin, had several skull fractures and lacerations to his fist from fighting back.

Booth was able to get the Holderman’s gun and shoot him in the back of the neck. He died from his injuries later that day.

A nurse that saw Booth approximately 30 minutes before the shooting told police he was handcuffed and secured the last time she saw him, but Johns said police found a handcuff on the bed rail and leg shackles on the floor with a key in them. It’s unknown how he got out of his restraints.

Johns said a nurse heard some noises coming from the room and went to check on Holderman and Booth. As they approached, they said Booth ran out of the room with a gun in his hand.

Johns said surveillance video from the hospital’s hallways “alarming” and showed Booth running through the hallway, pointing a gun at people. He appeared to be looking for a way out of the hospital.

“This is definitely a tragedy, but it could have been so much more worse,” Johns said, stating that video showed hospital staff trying to find cover.

>> Man indicted for deadly shooting at Butler County Walmart

Booth was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a probation violation in regards to a 2015 burglary. He was booked in the jail Sunday, but had been booked six different times on drug-related offenses, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Holderman was a security guard working for Merchant Security, a third-party company contracted by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office when inmates were admitted into the hospital.

Holderman was also a U.S. Marine Corps. veteran, according to Johns.

Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said Wednesday afternoon that every inmate admitted or transported to hospitals for treatment end up being guarded by private security. Each individual is evaluated by supervisors on classification and past crimes to decide if they should remain with deputies.

Streck said Booth did not show any signs of issues by jail staff and that nothing in his past would have indicated something like this would have happened.

While the investigation into this incident continues, Streck said ordered all Sheriffs deputies to stay with inmates admitted to the hospital.

>> Box truck hauling beer overturns in Greene Co.; Roadwork planned to address ‘hot bed’ for crashes

Mike Uhl, Miami Valley Hospital president, told News Center 7 Thursday that the hospital has 900 cameras that are monitored 24/7, their own police department, additional armed security and roaming patrols securing the hospital.

“We do stage our security personnel at entry points or specific locations to help provide a safe environment. Access control is big priority of ours,” Uhl said.

They also limit access to parts of the hospital depending on the time of day. Later in the evening, the emergency room is the only point of access for people going to the hospital.

1 of 13