An 86-year-old woman shot by her husband at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center in Nevada died on Wednesday, WLFI TV reported.
According to the Carson City Sheriff's Office, Frances Dresser died of chest injuries she endured after her husband, William Dresser, 88, shot her on Sunday.
Her husband was arrested after firing his handgun and charged with attempted murder. Immediately after he opened fire, he was detained by Nevada Department of Corrections officers and hospital staff until police arrived.
Investigators said Dresser originally planned a murder-suicide, but the gun malfunctioned when he tried to kill himself. He told authorities that his wife was paralyzed after an accident that happened two weeks ago and no longer wanted to live.
He recently purchased the small-caliber handgun with four bullets -- "two for his wife and then two for him," the affadavit said.
Though the scene was confined to the patient's room, the entire hospital was placed on lockdown for two hours as a precaution.
Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong explained he was sympathetic to Dresser, but said a full investigation is necessary before making any decisions on how to deal with the situation.
"We're not suggesting the term 'mercy killing,' at least not as of yet...It's up to the investigators to determine the true motive behind the attack," Furlong said. "Here you have an eldery couple, been married over 60 years. No criminal history whatsoever. Just great folks."
Dresser remains in a Carson City jail and on suicide watch. His bail was set at $225,000.
