Hospital partially evacuated after man ‘assaults two people’

A hospital emergency department was evacuated after a man reportedly assaulted two people on Friday evening.

Police were called to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in response to the incident.

Pictures on social media showed police cars and fire engines outside the hospital.

Police Scotland said that around 5.30pm they “received a report of a man having assaulted two people at a hospital in Aberdeen”.

The force said in a statement: “Emergency services attended and two people were treated at the scene. An area of the hospital was evacuated.

“Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”

NHS Grampian said the emergency department reopened later on Friday evening, though it was dealing with a backlog of patients as a result of the closure.

Chief executive Laura Skaife-Knight said: “An incident at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, earlier this evening, resulted in the temporary closure of the hospital’s emergency department.

“It has since reopened. Other areas of the hospital were not affected.

“We are currently dealing with a large backlog of patients as a result and, as always, would ask patients only attend the department in an emergency.

“It is vital patients phone NHS 24 on 111 before attending at the ED – unless the situation is life threatening, for instance a suspected stroke of heart attack, in which case you should call 999.”

“Due to the nature of the incident, we cannot comment further.”