Questions about suspect remain day after rampage

COLUMBUS, Ga. --- Armed with a three-year grudge and more guns than he could hold, a former substitute teacher stormed a west Georgia hospital looking to punish the nurse he blamed for his mother's death, police say.

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Associated Press

An employee is escorted into Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Ga., a day after after three people were shot and killed inside and in the parking lot.

The nurse, another employee and a bystander are dead; the suspect is being treated for a gunshot wound police gave him; and a military community accustomed to grieving is reeling.

Charles Johnston, 63, was expected to face murder and assault charges in Thursday's rampage at Doctors Hospital, Police Chief Ricky Boren said.

"Apparently it had been on his mind for a while," Chief Boren said.

Authorities don't know why Mr. Johnston would have wanted revenge.

Mr. Johnston went to Doctors Hospital with a gun hidden in his waistband and other guns in his pants and jacket pockets, authorities said. He made his way to the fifth-floor intensive care unit, where his mother had been treated in 2004 before she died of natural causes in September of that year.

Chief Boren said Mr. Johnston was looking for a nurse he knew only as "Pete," and he followed nurse Peter D. Wright into a hospital room after hearing Mr. Wright's name called out. Mr. Wright, 44, was shot in the chest and head after trying to leave the room, Chief Boren said.

"He held a grudge against 'Pete' because he believed Pete to be an individual that did not properly take care of his momma while she was in the hospital," Chief Boren said.

Mr. Wright might have administered care to Mr. Johnston's mother, Chief Boren said.

As Mr. Johnston started to leave, he shot an administrative assistant who crossed his path, Chief Boren said. That victim was identified Friday as Leslie Harris, 44, of LaGrange, Ga.

As Mr. Johnston got into his station wagon, James David Baker, 76, pulled into a spot facing Mr. Johnston, who shot him in the head as he got out of his car, the chief said.Chief Boren said Mr. Johnston might have thought Mr. Baker was a police officer.