Authorities say one threatening phone call to the emergency-room nurses' station at HCA Florida Lake City Hospital was enough to lock the whole place down. A Lake City man was arrested Monday after police say he called in the early afternoon on May 11 and threatened to shoot a medical provider and members of that provider's family, forcing staff to secure the campus and restrict access.
Investigators from multiple agencies used caller ID and other investigative tools to track the number and locate a suspect.
Police response and arrest
According to First Coast News, Lake City police were notified of the threat around 2:24 p.m. on May 11 after the caller reached the hospital's emergency-room nurses' station. Using caller ID information and other investigative tools, officers identified Ryan Delance as the suspect, arrested him, and took him into custody.
Police told the outlet that Delance was booked into the Columbia County Detention Center and faces charges tied to written or electronic threats.
Hospital locks down campus
Local reporting states that hospital staff locked down the campus and restricted entry while officers moved in, a response that effectively turned the facility into a controlled-access site until the immediate threat could be addressed. HCA Florida Lake City Hospital is part of the HCA Florida network and lists its campus at 340 NW Commerce Drive in Lake City, according to HCA Florida Lake City Hospital.
What the charges mean
Authorities said the case involves allegations covered by Florida law that prohibit written or electronic threats to kill, injure, or carry out a mass shooting or act of terrorism. That legal framework is codified in Florida Statute Chapter 836, as published by the Florida Senate. In a statement cited by First Coast News, police added that "threats of violence toward healthcare workers and innocent citizens will be taken seriously and investigated aggressively."
What happens next in the case
Columbia County's detention facility handles local bookings, and the jail's official site lists the detention center at 389 NW Quinten Street in Lake City, according to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. Court filings and the county roster will show the formal charges, any bond information, and upcoming court dates as investigators and prosecutors move the case forward.
