CORNETTSVILLE — A physician is dead and one man in custody following a shooting at a clinic in Perry County on Tuesday.

Police responded to a shots fired complaint at the Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation’s Leatherwood/ Little Blackey Clinic at approximately 11:30 a.m. with nearly 30 units from various law enforcement agencies. Officials say that upon their arrival the shooter had already left the scene, but he was taken into custody shortly afterwards.

“We spread out and started looking for our suspect in the area, and we did apprehend him at his residence,” said Tony Eversole with the Perry County Sheriff’s office.

Officers armed with rifles and automatic weapons were on scene and searched a large area around the clinic. Authorities say they eventually apprehend the suspect at his home in the Red Fox community of Knott County.

“We got here, we searched the area searching for the suspect,” said Trooper Chad Easterling with KSP Post 13 shortly after the suspect was apprehended. “The victim which, is a doctor, has a gun shot wound and we have the accused in custody at this time.”

Mike Caudill, CEO of Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation, told reporters that Dr. Dennis Sandlin, a physician with the clinic, was the victim.

“This is a big loss to our facility,” said Caudill. “He was a long time physician of Hazard, Buckhorn and in this office [Leatherwood Little Blackey Clinic], he had a lot of patients that followed him here.”

Caudill said that Dr. Sandlin is irreplaceable in the corporation and was dearly loved by his patients. Caudill also noted that his wife was on scene shortly after the shooting.

“The employees are going through a very tragic event,” said Caudill. “We do have counselors available for the employees and we will be closed for the rest of the week.”

Caudill said that MCHC is a close family and that they are willing to take any step necessary to assist the employees and would reopen on Monday to the patients.

Officials with the Kentucky State Police said that the suspect was taken to Post 13 to be interviewed by detectives and will remain in custody. At this time no other information has been released, including charges or where the suspect will be held.

Jerry Stacy was one of several people with family inside the clinic at the time of the shooting, and said when he heard of what had happened he rushed to the scene to make sure his father was okay.

“My dad was in that building when all this happened. I was scared to death,” said Stacy. “I got here in about three minutes after it happened and police were here. Just thank God he was okay.”

The Perry County School Board is reporting that they had nearly 500 students from two schools in the area on a restricted lock down following the shooting. Students, faculty, and staff from both Leatherwood and Viper Elementary schools went on lock down for nearly 45 minutes during this incident.

“They locked the schools down, meaning nobody from the outside of the building was aloud in,” said Assistant Superintendent Johnny Wooton. “We had an external lock down, which means someone was at the doors greeting everyone that came through the doors, more or less a restricted lock down.”

Wooton says that they remained on lock down until Sheriff Les Burgett called to let them know the scene had been secured. Wooton noted that school officials weren’t sure who the shooter was or his location, and locking down the school was a precaution.