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State pays $13M settlement for unannounced active shooter drill at Northville Township psychiatric children’s hospital
Someone Missed the Memo
NORTHVILLE TOWNSHIP, Mich. – The state has agreed to pay $13 million to patients and staff of a state child psychiatric hospital who say they were terrorized by an unannounced active shooter drill that gained national attention.
The Hawthorn Center was a state-run psychiatric hospital for children in Northville Township, Michigan (the facility has since closed). On Dec. 21, 2022, the center conducted an active shooter drill. Patients and most of the staff were not informed ahead of time. Four law enforcement agencies who responded to panicked 911 calls from inside the hospital weren’t notified of the drill, either and responded as if the threat was real.
When patients and employees saw dozens of heavily armed police outside the psych hospital, they were convinced armed intruders were roaming their halls. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, which operated the Hawthorn Center, has not admitted to any wrongdoing. The Hawthorn Center employee who planned the drill continues to work for MDHHS. Hawthorn Center patients and staff have been relocated to Walter Reuther State Psychiatric Hospital in Westland.
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All investigative reports:
- Unannounced ‘active shooter’ drill at psychiatric hospital sparks panic in Northville Township
- Former employees, parent of patient speak out about unannounced Hawthorn Center active shooter drill
- Body cam video shows police response, panic in ‘active shooter’ drill at Michigan psych hospital for kids
- Employee held at gunpoint during unannounced active shooter drill at Michigan psych hospital files lawsuit
- Emails give insight into response after active shooter drill at Michigan psych hospital for kids
- Hear from employee who says kids at psychiatric hospital weren’t allowed outside for months
Winning the (t)error lottery
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