LAKE CITY, Fla. — A 45-year-old man was arrested after police said he threatened to shoot a medical provider and the provider’s family following treatment at a Lake City hospital emergency room.
According to the Lake City Police Department, officers responded around 2:24 p.m. on May 11, 2026, to the emergency room nurses station at HCA Florida Lake City Hospital regarding threats made toward hospital staff.
Investigators said Ryan Elwain Delance became upset after not receiving medication he requested while being treated in the emergency room.
Police said that after leaving the hospital, Delance called the nurses station and threatened to shoot a medical provider and the provider’s family.
Authorities said multiple hospital employees overheard the threats while the call was on speaker phone and became concerned because Delance was reportedly a frequent visitor to the emergency room.
Hospital staff placed the facility on lockdown and restricted access due to concerns Delance could immediately return to the hospital, according to investigators.
Officers collected sworn written statements from witnesses and the victim during the investigation.
Police also spoke directly with Delance by phone while he remained on hold with the nurses station. Using caller ID information and investigative resources, officers located Delance near 3864 U.S. Highway 441 with assistance from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
Delance was arrested and transported to the Columbia County Detention Center.
He was charged under Florida Statute 790.163 with making written or electronic threats to kill, do bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism.
Gerald Butler said threats against healthcare workers and the public will be aggressively investigated.
Anyone with information on this case can contact the Lake City Police Department at 386-752-4343.