Armed man shot, killed by Philadelphia police outside St. Christopher's Hospital for children

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A man was shot and killed by a Philadelphia police officer outside St. Christopher's Hospital for Children on Thursday morning after he allegedly pulled a gun on officers, authorities said.

According to Philadelphia police, there was an incident involving the man at the hospital on Wednesday, and he was asked to leave.

He came back to the hospital on Thursday, but security refused to allow him into the building.

According to Commissioner Kevin Bethel, the man was compliant and did not threaten anyone.

A short time later, police say they were called by a relative, who indicated the man might be suicidal.

Officers learned during the conversation that the man had access to weapons and may have a permit to carry, Bethel said.

Officers responded quickly, Bethel said, and as they arrived on the scene, the man began to pull out his weapon.

That's when an officer fired, and the man was struck.

He was transported to Temple University Hospital, where he died.

A woman who was standing next to the man was also injured. Police said she was in critical but stable condition.

It's not clear how that woman was hurt.

The man's sister told Action News that he had been in crisis earlier in the day and described him as suicidal. The woman, who was too upset to appear on camera, said she was among the people who called police in an effort to get him help.

Police said the man may have been experiencing some type of mental breakdown. Authorities also said a gun was recovered in nearby grass.

An employee who was at the hospital at the time described the moments after the shooting.

"When we heard the gunshots, everybody ran back inside the hospital to the main entrance," the worker said.

The employee said they heard "Seven, eight gunshots. Boom, boom, boom, boom."

A spokesperson for St. Christopher's Hospital said the facility was placed on lockdown following the shooting. The lockdown has since been lifted. The spokesperson also said the armed suspect never entered the hospital.

Parents arriving at the hospital encountered a large police presence in the aftermath of the shooting.

"Me and my daughters were coming to the doctor to get seen, and it was just a bunch of police out here," said Julius Fielder. "It does concern me a little."

Authorities have not released the names of those involved.

The officer who fired the shots has been placed on administrative duty while the Philadelphia Police Department and the District Attorney's Office conduct investigations into the shooting.