Murder-suicide inside hospital raises security concerns – Husband, 19, fatally shot wife, 24, himself at Alabama hospital moments after welcoming their first child

HUSBAND KILLS WIFE, THEN HIMSELF, AT HOSPITAL MOMENTS AFTER WELCOMING FIRST BABY

A tragic shooting inside an Alabama hospital left a young mother and her teenage husband dead just moments after the couple welcomed their first child into the world.

Authorities say 19-year-old Kynath Terry Jr. fatally shot his 24-year-old wife, Precious Johnson, before turning the gun on himself at Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital around 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

Johnson had delivered a healthy baby shortly before the shooting occurred. Officials have not confirmed whether the newborn was present in the room at the time, but police stated that Terry and Johnson were the only individuals physically injured during the incident.

Terry’s mother told WTVM 13 that the couple had been experiencing marital problems leading up to Johnson’s due date, though she said nothing indicated her son would become violent. She also noted that Terry had completed Army National Guard training prior to marrying Johnson.

According to family members, Johnson did not want Terry’s side of the family present at the hospital for the birth. It remains unclear whether members of Johnson’s family were there at the time.

Following reports of gunfire, the hospital was placed on lockdown “out of an abundance of caution” as law enforcement responded. The lockdown lasted for several hours until authorities determined there was no ongoing threat to patients, staff, or the public.

The Homewood Police Department described the incident as “an apparent murder-suicide” and said it appeared to be domestic in nature.

Danne Howard, president of the Alabama Hospital Association, called the shooting an isolated incident unlike anything she had encountered in her three decades working in Alabama’s healthcare system.

In response to the tragedy, Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital will conduct a mandated after-action review and impleA teenage husband fatally shot his wife before turning the gun on himself at an Alabama hospital just moments after they welcomed their first child.

Kynath Terry Jr., 19, gunned down 24-year-old Precious Johnson before fatally shooting himself inside the Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, WTVM 13 reported.

Johnson delivered a healthy baby just before she was murdered. It’s not immediately clear if the baby was present during the shooting, but police said Terry and Johnson were the only ones injured.

 

A young man in a military uniform and a young woman in a green jacket with a white 'A' posing together.
Kynath Terry Jr., 19, shot 24-year-old Precious Johnson at an Alabama hospital after she gave birth to their child.WVTM

Terry’s mother told the outlet that the couple were having some marital issues leading up to Johnson’s due date, but nothing that made her fear her son would become violent.

She told the outlet that Terry completed Army National Guard training before tying the knot with Johnson.

She noted that Johnson didn’t want Terry’s side of the family at the hospital for her child’s birth, but it’s unclear if anyone from the mother-to-be’s own family was there.

The hospital was plunged into a lockdown “out of an abundance of caution” while police investigated reports of a shooting. It wasn’t lifted until hours later when they determined there was “no active threat to patients, team members or the public,” the outlet reported.

The Homewood Police Department described the tragedy as “an apparent murder-suicide and is domestic in nature.”

Kynath Terry in a suit and graduation stole.
Terry completed Army National Guard training before marrying Johnson.WVTM

Exterior view of Brookwood Baptist Medical Center.
The shooting sent Brookwood Baptist Medical Center into an hours-long lockdown.Google Maps
Danne Howard, the president of the Alabama Hospital Association, told the outlet that the chilling attack “was an isolated incident” unlike anything she’d encountered during her three decades working in the state.

Howard said that in the wake of the tragedy, the Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital would undergo a security overhaul implementing “lessons learned” from a mandated after-action report.

Just three months ago, in a town six miles outside Homewood, a beloved sports reporter was fatally shot by her husband before he took his own life. Their 3-year-old son, who was unharmed, led his grandfather to his parents’ bodies.