In a shocking video, a Minnesota emergency room patient is seen attacking several nurses before being subdued by law enforcement. The nurses were attacked with a pole that the patient removed from the side of his hospital bed, injuring 4. The patient, Charles Emmett Logan, was confronted by police several blocks from the hospital. When tasers failed to subdue him, police tackled him to the ground. Without clear explanation, Mr. Logan died after being handcuffed, and an autopsy is scheduled.
The situation is still under investigation, but Mr. Logan was suffering from paranoia at the time of the attack. While often unreported, attacks in healthcare facilities are relatively common. According to one study, 60% of workplace assaults occur in healthcare facilities. Even when the assaults do not turn violent, healthcare personnel are often subjected to verbal attacks by patients.