In brief
On Tuesday afternoon, Jasper police responded to reports of a shooting at a VA clinic in Jasper, Georgia, resulting in the hospitalization of one individual and the shooting of the suspect. The clinic, which opened in 2020, offers various health services to veterans. The local community is shaken as law enforcement continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
JASPER, Ga. (AP) — Police in the small town of Jasper, located at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia, reported a shooting incident on Tuesday at a Department of Veterans Affairs clinic. At least one person has been airlifted to the hospital as a result.
The police were dispatched to the VA clinic around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Upon arrival, they confronted the suspected shooter, who was subsequently shot during the encounter.
Following the incident, calls to the Pickens County VA clinic were answered only with automated messages, indicating that staff were unable to respond.
According to the clinic's website, the outpatient facility in Jasper provides a range of services, including primary care, specialty health services, laboratory testing, telehealth, and mental health care.
Jasper, with a population of approximately 5,000 people, is situated about 60 miles north of downtown Atlanta. The area is noted for its scenic view of the Appalachian Mountains.
Photos from local media outlets showed a considerable law enforcement presence at the clinic, with officers equipped in tactical gear responding to the scene.
The Pickens County VA clinic, which opened in the summer of 2020, aims to enhance access to quality healthcare for veterans closer to home, as emphasized in a news release from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
