Deputy leaves gun in hospital bathroom

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) -  

An off-duty Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputy left a gun behind at a local hospital but it was who picked it up and what he did after that sparked an investigation.

While patients shuffled in and out of Presbyterian Hospital Saturday, the search for the missing gun had hospital security and Albuquerque Police on high alert. "Anytime a weapon is involved, we're very concerned, but we have highly trained security staff on site that make routine patrols," explained Paul Sandoval, Director of Security for Presbyterian.

The Sheriff's Department confirmed an off-duty deputy carrying his personal weapon left it in a restroom by accident. Worried who might find it and pick it up, APD sent officers to the security room of the hospital where detectives reviewed surveillance video.

Roughly 160 cameras are scanning the hospital everyday and one camera shows the hallway leading in and out of the bathroom where the gun was left. "It took a little while to determine who the person was and to make sure that we knew who exactly it was," Sandoval explained.

Video showed just one person entering the restroom after the deputy from the time the gun was reported missing - Dr. Robert Gordon, a non-Presbyterian physician with privileges to practice there.

Hours after the gun went missing, APD found and questioned Gordon. Sources said at first he hesitated to give the gun back but finally handed over the weapon.

As for the deputy who clearly fouled up by leaving a gun behind, the Sheriff's Department said he won't be disciplined. "We definitely wouldn't want handguns to be left where the public can have access to them, so that's definitely a concern," said Sgt. Sam White, of the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department.

While the hospital has a strict no guns policy, that excludes on and off-duty commissioned officers. "When they're off duty, they actually have a duty to take law enforcement action if something occurs around them or in front of them that warrants their action," explained Smith. "Therefore we encourage, we don't require but we highly encourage deputies to carry their weapons off duty."

KRQE News 13 was told a search warrant was in the works to get the gun back from the doctor but it's unclear if the warrant was ever executed. The hospital is sending the police report to the medical staff to review Gordon’s privilege to practice there.