ROBBINSDALE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Officials are investigating after a man reportedly scaled a fence and shut off the oxygen supply at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, Minnesota.
According to the search warrant, on Dec. 27, 2019, deputies were notified that someone had scaled a fence, broke metal clasps and zip ties and shut off the oxygen to the entire hospital. Deputies later reviewed surveillance video and noticed someone in a distinct coat crossing the road and approaching the fence.
At that same time, hospital engineers were alerted to a pressure drop in the hospital's oxygen levels. When they investigated, they noticed someone had tampered with the oxygen system. The engineers noted that if this had happened when they weren't on site, the act could have resulted in serious harm or death to patients.
According to the search warrant, the suspect had been spotted at North Memorial Hospital before and was seen unplugging computers and TVs.
Officials learned that in the past, the suspect, a 39-year-old man, had been charged by St. Cloud Police in connection to "a tampering incident with Xcel Energy meters." Xcel Energy officials also believe he is the main suspect in 250 other meter tampering incidents, according to the search warrant.