Rusk State Hospital Employee Brings Gun to Work

RUSK — A Rusk State Hospital employee is in big trouble for what he left behind at work. Last week a patient found a gun on the 243-bed campus. Staff was notified and the weapon was properly secured. Sources say the gun fell out of the psychiatric nurses’ assistant’s bag as he worked an overnight shift sunday. Hospital employees are not allowed to take firearms into state hospitals. Now the employee is on emergency leave pending disciplinary action. In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Department of State Health Services says the worker could be fired. The Office of Inspector General is investigating. A request for comment from that office has not yet drawn a response.