ATLANTA — U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is opening an inquiry into the Atlanta VA Medical Center, applying pressure for them to strengthen their security.
It comes months after a veteran who was experiencing a mental health crisis was shot and killed at the hospital after he was wielding a knife in January. The GBI said Tuesday that the man, 58-year-old John Robert Smith of Decatur, appeared suicidal, pulled a knife, and was lunging toward another person when a federal VA police officer shot him.
Ossoff continued that the inquiry is to ask questions to highlight how to strengthen the safety and security of veterans seeking care and staff at the Atlanta facility.
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He added that several safety measures have been implemented since the incident, including weapons detectors that were added in April.
“I am heartened that Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher toured the Atlanta VAMC and that weapons detectors were added and installed at this facility in April. This should be the first step to secure not only the excellent and hardworking staff at the Atlanta VAMC but also the veterans that are treated there,” Sen. Ossoff said.
But, he is still pressing the VA hospital to install more safety features.
“Therefore, I request that the VA examine installing a badge entry system outside of the ER so that only those with proper accreditation can enter this vulnerable part of the facility," he added.
11Alive previously spoke with Smith's mother, Onnie Smith, after the death of her son, where she questioned why there was no one there to de-escalate the situation.
“I thought a police officer would have tried to talk him down,” she said. “If you couldn’t talk him down, you should have some kind of staff there that could talk to the mentally ill.”
For more than a decade now in Georgia, local, state and federal law enforcement officers have been undergoing Crisis Intervention Team training so they can de-escalate life-threatening situations—including those involving people experiencing mental health crises.
The VA did not say whether the federal officers on duty that night had that training.
Kim Jones with the National Alliance on Mental Illness Georgia previously said that while no law enforcement training can always be effective in all situations, CIT training has been a game changer.
“We know for a fact that CIT training for law enforcement officers has helped reduce shooting incidences and reduce negative interactions with people who have a mental health condition,” Jones previously said. “We know a lot of times that law enforcement officers come into contact with people who are experiencing a mental health crisis. And so it's very important that they know how to de-escalate those situations and know how to handle them properly so that everybody comes out of that situation in good standing."
In its last hospital rating report, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gave the Atlanta VA Hospital in Decatur only 2 out of 5 stars in overall quality.
In the survey, patients reported unfavorable ratings when it came to safety, patient experience, and timely and effective care.
In 2022, 11Alive's Investigative team previously reported extensive issues with the Atlanta VA facility, including month-long wait times leading to a lack of access to critical care.
Recently, a new VA director took the reigns on June 3, inheriting all of the infamous issues.
“Veterans give their lives in service of this nation, and we should take every opportunity possible to ensure they are receiving the highest level of care,” said Sen. Ossoff in his letter. “This includes ensuring their safety at these care centers as well as making sure that the incredibly qualified staff at these medical centers are protected. Veterans must be able to seek care at a safe medical center.”
Click here to read Sen. Ossoff’s inquiry with VA Secretary McDonough.