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Police lead 2-hour manhunt inside dilapidated hospital

By Dave Faherty, wsoctv.com
By Dave Faherty, wsoctv.com

TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. — A two-hour manhunt inside a Taylorsville hospital ended in frustration for police.
                      
Officers climbed the roof of the dilapidated building trying to track down the four people who broke inside Wednesday.
                      
Police Chief Dennis James showed Channel 9 the maze of rooms they searched inside the old Alexander County Hospital for the people who broke inside.

IMAGES: Abandoned Taylorsville hospital

The building has been closed since 2007. Since then, vandals and thieves have done extensive damage. It is hard for James to see it the way it is now -- he was born there.
 
"It's sad to see it in this condition now.  Sinks pulled from the walls.  A lot of graffiti and broken glass," James said.
 
The chief said he was driving by when he spotted a window open and saw four people inside. He and another officer could hear people running through the building, but because it is so big, officers couldn't find them.
        
Police said the hospital has turned into an eyesore. 
 
"Makes me almost weep. Very sad," resident JoAnne Curley said.
 
Curley, who worked there for 18 years, fought back tears while talking about the hospital's decline. It was built through donations and fundraisers in the community more than 50 years ago.
        
Town leaders admit it will be difficult to do anything with the building because of the damage there.
 
"This place is much like our USS North Carolina (battleship). She was our fighting lady for decades. When it is defaced and vandalized, it makes it hard on the whole community," said town manager David Odum.
        
The town is currently maintaining the grounds, hoping the owners can someday find a use for the building.

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