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Woman with gunshot wound found dead in car at Kootenai Health

Brian Walker; Staff Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 9 months AGO
by Brian Walker; Staff Writer
| March 9, 2017 12:00 AM

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LOREN BENOIT/Press A police officer exits the Coeur d’Alene Police Command Center parked outside the Health Resources Center at Kootenai Health Wednesday afternoon after a woman was found dead inside a vehicle parked in the north lot of the hospital campus.

COEUR d’ALENE — A Coeur d'Alene woman in her late 30s was found in a car parked at Kootenai Health with a gunshot wound to her head and died on Wednesday, according to police.

"We don't believe (the gunshot wound) was self-inflicted," Coeur d’Alene Police Det. Jared Reneau said.

Police knew the identity of the woman, but did not release her name. No suspects were identified.

Reneau said a hospital employee found the woman in the north parking lot between the hospital's Health Resources Center and Rehabilitation Services building around 2:45 p.m.

"The employee immediately started life-saving measures, but it was apparent that the female was deceased," Reneau said.

Reneau said the initial investigation indicates the apparent crime occurred at the hospital's parking lot.

Hospital operations continued as normal during the investigation.

When asked why the hospital was not locked down during the investigation, Reneau said police did not believe there was a threat to anybody.

"In reviewing surveillance, it appears that anyone who may have had a part in this has left the area," Reneau said.

Reneau said police are investigating whether there was a gunshot fired in the parking lot.

"We talked to one individual who thought he heard a gunshot, but that has not been confirmed," Reneau said.

Reneau said he didn't know if the apparent victim was a hospital employee. He also couldn't say whether a possible getaway vehicle was found on surveillance.

Police continued to process the scene and review surveillance.

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