Suspect in custody after shots fired at Kaiser Hospital in Downey

DOWNEY, California (KABC) –

A suspect was arrested and more than 400 people were evacuated following reports of shots fired at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Downey on Tuesday.

LASD officials said the Downey police had confirmed that there were no injuries and that the building was secure.

Authorities arrested 34-year-old Jesus Chavez of Lynwood. A handgun was recovered at the scene, but investigating investigators determined that no shots had been fired inside the building.

Chavez was charged with criminal threats and transported to the Los Angeles County Jail.

At a news conference in the afternoon, the authorities said that the suspect had caused disturbances in the hospital and threw a chair out the window before making a pistol.

Police said Chavez acted alone. The investigation is underway.

The incident began shortly before noon and LASD Norwalk Station first tweeted that it was helping Downey police in a "fluid" emergency situation and "a possible active shooter" at medical center, located at 9333, Imperial Road. Within minutes, sheriff officials tweeted that a suspect was being detained on the scene.

Officers and MPs searched the hospital "room by room, floor by floor" for over an hour as hundreds evacuated the medical center. Much of the activity was focused on building A, officials said.

Many witnesses said that everything was happening when a patient from the mental health unit was starting to hit walls and break windows. After learning that the man had a weapon, some people took refuge on the spot, while others fled the building.

Betty Esquival is a patient who was in a hospital room when she heard the start of agitation.

"We started to hear screams and cries outside … he said," I have a gun, people will die, "she explained.

Witness Amber Boughner said that the man appeared to be angry following the appointment of a doctor.

"He started pounding the door saying," I had an appointment at 11 o'clock! I deserve my appointment, where is this B.I.T.C.H. Let me in! "And he did not stop beating, pounding and pounding," Boughner said.

She said she saw the man banging walls and throwing furniture out the window until the security arrived. Broughman said that when the security guard confronted the man, he told her that the suspect was armed and that she had to leave.

"The security guard came out and said," He has a rifle, get started, "added Boughner.

She then locked herself up with a few others in a break room until the authorities allowed them to go out.

"I was very scared for all the employees present," she said. "He was angry, he was very angry."

Downey PD's chief, Carl Charles, said that the man had surrendered to the authorities as soon as he had been confronted.

"They immediately confronted the subject, he surrendered and he went without incident, he was arrested and detained," he said.

Authorities said there was active sniper training at the center in April between police and security and they helped to control the situation.

Officials said they were investigating whether the sound of furniture thrown out the window could have been mistaken for shots that were heard by people inside the building.

Some buildings will remain closed for several hours as the investigation continues.

All appointments of the facility have been canceled for the rest of the day and services are offered by Kaiser Permanente to anyone affected by the incident.

The company issued a statement saying it was grateful that there were no casualties.

"Hospital, emergency and emergency care services and most of the Orchard Medical building at Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center have reopened.

The safety of our patients, our employees and our doctors is paramount and we are grateful that there were no injuries. We recognize the stress that can result from situations like this and provide members, staff and physicians with on-site behavioral health services.

We would like to thank the Downey Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for their extraordinary response and support. "