TDCJ officer lost gun at Bryan hospital while inmate received care, located by staff

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – A TDCJ officer was relieved of duty after they lost a gun at a hospital in Bryan.

Information was shared with KBTX that an officer misplaced the gun inside St. Joseph Hospital while an inmate received care and it was located “shortly thereafter” by hospital staff, according to the TDCJ.

TDCJ Director of Communications, Amanda Hernandez sent the following statement:

“A Correctional Officer misplaced their weapon at the St. Joseph Regional Hospital while the officer was on watch as an inmate received medical treatment. The weapon was located shortly thereafter, and the Correctional Officer was relieved of duty pending disciplinary. This incident is under investigation by the agency.”

This is the second time since September 2023 that a TDCJ officer on duty at the St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan lost a gun. Last year, heightened security tipped KBTX off to an incident at the hospital, where it was discovered that a TDCJ officer misplaced a gun at the facility and it was never located. That officer was also relieved of duty pending disciplinary action at the time.

The statement from Hernandez continued “Public safety is the top priority of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The agency has made previous improvements to its security protocols for medical transports and hospital stays, including increasing supervisor presence and additional training for staff.”

Communications Manager for St. Joseph Health, Tracy Bates, also commented on the incident saying there are no concerns about safety at their facilities in regards to the incident.

“The health and safety of our patients and staff is a top priority at St. Joseph Health. St. Joseph Health cooperates and works closely with law enforcement throughout all active safety investigations at any of our facilities. There are no injuries or immediate threats associated with any investigation at this time and the hospital remains open to provide healthcare services to our patients.”

According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the number of lost firearms appears to be a much larger problem across the country in comparison to stolen firearms. In 2022, of the 17,000 firearms reported lost or stolen, almost 12,000 of those were lost. The three most common types of firearms lost or stolen include pistols, rifles and frame or receiver guns.