Shooting in hospital parking lot leaves 2 dead in Massillon

Combined reports

MASSILLON

A gunman shot and killed a doctor Monday in a parking lot at Affinity Medical Center, then killed himself.

The doctor was identified as George Seese, 59. Police identified the gunman as Michael Wood, 50.

Police said the men “shared a mutual love interest.” Wood had confronted Dr. Seese at his car at about 2 p.m., shooting him. Wood then walked to his car, parked behind Seese’s, and killed himself.

The incident occurred about 150 feet from the hospital’s ER in the Amherst Road parking lot. Both men were taken into the hospital, where they died.

Affinity Medical Center said for the safety of patients, staff and visitors, the hospital was on lockdown for a time.

Dr. Seese, a father of 13 who went by the nickname “Skip,” was a general cardiologist with Stark Medical Specialties Inc.

In addition to Affinity, he also practiced at Union Hospital in Dover, Aultman Orrville Hospital in Orrville and Aultman Hospital in Canton.

Dr. Seese attended Youngstown State University and Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he received his medical degree in 1987. He completed his cardiology fellowship at Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Brownsville, N.J. and returned to Ohio in 1992.

Massillon Police Capt. Bill Peel said detectives were interviewing several witnesses, who were in the parking lot or near the shooting scene when the shots erupted. None of the witnesses were wounded.

No indication was given as to how many shots were fired. But Fox 8 TV in Cleveland reported that police found six shell casings at the scene.

Peel said that the suspect was found on the ground with a handgun.

The Massillon Independent reported Monday that Wood, of the New Philadelphia area, died of a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

According to police, both Seese and Wood were on the ground with gunshot wounds when officers arrived.

A man who lives a few houses down from the hospital on Ertle Avenue said he heard gunfire — about four consecutive shots, a pause, then about two more shots — just after 2 p.m. The man told the Masillon newspaper that he didn’t see or hear anything after that because he went back into his house to take cover.