PHOENIX — Three patients of Arizona State Hospital have been taken into police custody after they allegedly barricaded staff members inside one of the facility's units, officials say.
The incident began Monday morning at about 8:30 a.m. after the patients prevented three staff members from leaving a treatment unit, police said.
The patients allegedly broke pieces of medical equipment and threatened to use the items as weapons on the staff, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
The staff members were assaulted and sustained minor injuries, DHS said. Police detained the three patients.
The hospital, located near 24th and Van Buren streets, is a 260-bed funded facility that provides psychiatric care to Arizonans with mental illnesses who are under court order for treatment.
DHS said Monday's incident was not a common occurrence at the facility.
"Such incidents are extremely rare, and the Arizona State Hospital has established procedures in place to protect staff and patients if one should occur," DHS wrote in a statement.
An ASH employee told 12News last year the facility is regularly dealing with staffing issues and that the lack of employees was affecting patient care.
"We can't provide treatment, we can't keep them safe from harm or suicides or attacks by other patients if we don’t have adequate staff," the employee said last year.
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