A 76-year old man was arrested and charged with attempted murder after the stabbing of a nurse at Gardner, Mass.-based Heywood Hospital on June 12, according to police.
The Gardner Police Department said in a statement on its Facebook page that it responded to the incident in the hospital's emergency department around 8 p.m. June 12 and that the victim is a member of the hospital's nursing staff. The nurse was transported to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester for treatment; no further information was given on their condition.
Police identified David Nichols as the suspect. He was arrested at the hospital and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and attempt to commit a crime. During his arraignment June 13 in Gardner District Court, prosecutors said Mr. Nichols grabbed the nurse by the arm and stabbed her in the neck when she went to adjust something, according to CBS Boston. The nurse suffered a three-inch laceration. The judge ordered Mr. Nichols to be held on $100,000 bail and he is due back in court July 14.
"The Heywood staff are second to none," Rozanna Penney, CEO of Heywood Healthcare, said in a statement June 13, according to CBS. "Last night, they demonstrated teamwork, compassion, cohesiveness and dedication to each other and to our community. Our primary responsibility as leaders is to take care of our staff, and we do not take this responsibility lightly."
Becker's has reached out to Heywood Hospital and will update this story if more information becomes available.