Man wielding pencil, throwing chairs subdued with stun gun at QEH ER

Charlottetown police say staff at Queen Elizabeth Hospital's emergency room declared a Code Silver protocol, meant for lockdown situations involving a weapon, early Monday morning. 

The weapon in this case was a pencil, which police say a man was wielding in a threatening manner. 

The incident is the latest to fuel concerns from some QEH hospital staff about security. 

Just after 1 a.m. Monday, police say they were called to the hospital to help handle a man in the ER who was in an agitated state and throwing chairs. 

Officers subdued him with a stun gun. 

Police are investigating and charges are possible — but they said their first concern is that the person receive treatment.

In a statement, Health P.E.I. said there was security on site at the time, and patients and staff were cleared out of the ER during the incident. 

"Staff have been provided with support as would happen after any traumatic event," the statement said. 

In January, Health P.E.I. hired more security staff — with higher levels of training and experience — for the QEH ER.