"It's a love story," Senior Vice President, Operations, for Lehigh Valley Health Network Jim Geiger said at a press conference March 19 following a shooting 1:03 p.m. in the hospice care center.

According to Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin, "Three hospital staff members on the fourth floor of Lehigh Valley Hospital at 17th and Chew streets in Allentown were attracted to a room by what they perceived to be gunshots. When they entered the room, the patient, who was a female, age 83, was dead in her bed. A male, who was elderly as well and presumably her husband, was found dead in the room."

The couple were later identified as Mildred and Elwood Osman, of 537 Cherryville Road, Cherryville, Northampton County. Elwood was 86.

Martin said Mildred was in hospice care, no one else was in the room and the shooting was confined to the room. "No other patients or staff were placed in jeopardy," he said.

"He [Elwood] could not bear to see his wife suffering and could not envision living without her," Geiger said. He said he was not aware of a note but learned of the situation after speaking with family members.

Geiger said law enforcement responded within minutes. He said after they assessed the situation, they determined they did not need to evacuate the floor or the building.

Geiger said there are no metal detectors and no routine searches of visitors at the hospital. He said there have been active consultations with hospital security and the Allentown Police Department for months on how to enhance the security at all Lehigh Valley Health Network campuses.

"Nothing like this has ever happened in my 11 1/2 years here," Geiger said.

"Our hearts go out to the family," Geiger said.