Emergency Physicians Surveyed for Violence Risk

A recent study of emergency departments in Michigan was released in the Annals of Emergency Medicine showed at over ¾ of 171 emergency physicians surveyed experienced at least one violent act within the previous year. While this included verbal threats, 28% were physically assaulted. Nearly 12% were confronted outside the ED and 3.5% were stalked.
Amazingly enough, this led to 42% of the doctors seeking personal protection, including obtaining a gun (18%) or a knife (20%). Emergency doctors encounter criminals brought to the hospital as a result of their crime, intoxicated patients and distraught family members of clients.
The study also looked at psychiatrists, internists and family doctors. There were numerous anecdotes of physicians assaulted by patients at their office and in their homes, often by disgruntled former patients.

"Workplace violence: A survey of emergency physicians in the State of Michigan,"Annals of Emergency Medicine, abstract, online exclusive (www2.us.elsevierhealth.com/scripts/om.dll/serve?action=searchdb&searchdbfor=art&arttype=abs&id=as0196064404015045&nav=abs)

New Hampton, NY Psychiatric Hospital Workers Protest Risk of Violence

Even the most dangerous jobs can lead the workers to protest. At the Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center, the security hospital aides were picketing outside as the institution was being inspected by the Joint Hospital Accreditation Commission during their re-accreditation process. The aides claim that their work is too dangerous and that the policies and protocols put them at risk. When the clients, charged with violent crimes and who are being examined to determine their fitness for trial, become aggressive, they are put in room with an open door with two aides standing outside. Policies allegedly prohibit restraints or isolation. Hospital figures show about 25 assaults a month but protesters claim that it is much higher. They are not striking but trying to draw attention to the risk that they face. Recent assaults included an employee getting a concussion and other worker being sexually assaulted.

2/9 Totawa, NJ- Scientist Murdered by Co-Worker, Which One Being Investigated

A scientist, Geetha Angara, was found at the bottom of a water-filled shaft in early February but it was not an accident as the investigating law enforcement agency has ruled it a homicide. Further investigation has determined that it must have been a co-worker due to the restrictions in access to her workplace, however they have not named anyone as a suspect. Angara, a 43-year-old mother of three from Holmdel was either pushed or shoved into the underground container at the Passaic Valley Water Commission's water treatment plant. The access panel to the tank was in place when she was found, meaning someone replaced it after she went in. The 85 other employees have been interviewed and even had DNA samples taken but continue to work together.

2/24 Los Angeles, CA- City Worker Kills Supervisor and Co-Worker with AK-47

The shooting took place around 5 p.m. in the maintenance yard of the municipality’s maintenance yard. Allegedly, the supervisor reprimanded the assailant for coming to work late. Shot and killed his supervisor and other co-worker who was in the line of fire.
Then drove to the police station and turned himself in. The assault rifle was found in his car. The division had been working extremely hard in 12-hour shifts managing the damage of the heavy rains impacting the area.

2/18 Taylor, MI - Fired Worker Wounds Supervisor, Kills Translator

Gustavo De-Jesus Vanegas, 31 was just fired from the International Paper Co. when he went out to his car and returned with a handgun at approximately 4:20 pm. He then confronted his supervisor in the hallway. . When a female co-worker tried to intervene, Vanegas shot and wounded the supervisor and then shot and killed the woman. She had just served as a translator for the fired worker during the termination meeting. The wounded supervisor and another worker tackled the assailant and held him till officers arrived. He alledgly was fired for poor performance issues.

2/12/05 Mokopane, South Africa - Nurse Stabbed to Death by Boyfriend in Hospital

On Saturday afternoon, the boyfriend of a nurse entered the hostpital where she was working and attacked her with a knife. He stabbed her several times and she died at the scene. The man was arrested on the spot and was charged with her murder.

Oregon OSHA Department Under Investigation for Own Workplace Violence Issues

Within the Oregon OSHA department, there were apparently some issues surrounding workplace violence. A state Senate investigation is looking into allegations that supervisors ignored warning and concerns about a particular employee. This employee was later fired last year for allegedly assaulting a number of other co-workers. The 22 year old, unidentified employee was fired but for unspecified reasons. It was also reportedly an issue with the disability rights of the employee as they had apparent impairment. The larger issue, according to the investigation, is that lack of trust from the employees to come forward and disclose concerns with management. Allegedly, a supervisor who attempted to address the issue was later fired.

2/9/05 Bucyrus, OH - Man Attempts to Kidnap Co-Worker/Girlfriend

Dereck Hensley, 21 was arrested after evading police for trying to kidnap his girlfriend from their workplace. Both worked at the Baja Marine Corp. where he walked in at 8:32 a.m. and tried to get his girlfriend to come outside. He was pulling on her arm and had one hand in his jacket pocket. She told him that she would go but needed her cigarettes. She then whispered to her co-workers that she needed help. Hensley was escorted from the building and once outside, he brandished a 9mm handgun. He fled but was later apprehended by law enforcement.

1/05/05 Sunbury, PA - Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping, Murdering Estranged Wife

James Frey is pleading guilty to the murder of his estranged 45-year-old wife, Debra Frey. He kidnapped her from her workplace Runnerless Knits. He then drove out the country side where he shot her twice before shooting himself in the chest. He survived his wounds and contacted for help. Frey initially said he wasn’t guilty of kidnapping his estranged wife because he claimed that she wanted to go to a motel room after he forcibly picked her up at her place of employment.

2/7/05 Chesterfield, VA - Gun Returned to Worker Who Fired at Boss

Elwood Lewis came to his workplace at Quality Building Products armed with a handgun. After arguing with his boss and other employees, he fired at his employer but missed. Two co-workers tackled him and removed the weapon from him. However, after promising to leave, the co-workers gave the gun back to him, first removing the shells. Lewis went out to his car and reloaded his weapon but was stopped by arriving officers. He fired at the police but did not injure anyone. He was talked into surrendering and no one was injured.

Early February York, AL- Two Workers Assault Supervisor

Two workers were charged with assault for attacking a supervisor, Julius Watson. It is unknown what the altercation was about but Justin Michale Haire and Deon Derrick Jackson were arrested for pummeling their supervisor when the officers arrived. There were charged with the assault. The supervisor was admitted to the hospital to care for his injuries.

Early February- Baton Rouge, LA - Ex-employee Fires at Former Co-worker

A worker entered his former workplace and fired a weapon at a former co-worker. Michael Ozerdem, 21, went to James T-Martin Janitorial Supply Company where the previous week he had an argument with the targeted worker. Ozerdem then walked off the job. The perpetrator later turned himself into the police. The victim’s injuries are not life threatening.

1/28/05 Rockland, ME – Employee Kills Business Owner After She Tries to Break Up With Him

Douglas Dyer, 31, shot and killed 30-year-old Allison Small after she tried to end an affair with him. She and her husband ran a small transportation company where Dyer worked as a part-time trucker. Her husband dropped her off at their business around noon so that she could meet with Dyer, allegedly to end the relationship. However, when her husband came back about 45 minutes later, he saw her running from the assailant wounded from the shooting. Dyer then shot at the husband who escaped without injury. Dyer then fled only to turn himself in several hours later. The police had be called to the business a few days earlier but it is unknown for the cause.

Lawsuit Against Convenience Store in NM

The estate of a murdered clerk is suing the Allsup's Convenience Store Chain over lack of Security in Hobbs, NM. Elizabeth Garcia, the mother of 3 young children, was working the graveyard shift on January 16th. She was reported missing from her job but was later found in a nearby field with 57 stab wounds. The suit seeks compensation for aggravating circumstances damages, punitive damages, costs of litigation, and other relief. The central complaint revolves the lack of cameras and that she had to work alone during her shift. The lawsuit also lists a couple of incidents where other Allsup's clerks were killed while working alone on the graveyard shift and requests by an employee to have two clerks on the shift.

1/05 Canada; Employment Worker Stabbed by Client

A client stabbed a worker at the Ministry of Human Resources of Victoria, Canada in mid-January. This tragedy underscores the increased stress and risk government workers face since the recent closure of 63 other employement offices across the province, cutting staff by over 35 percent.

1/2/05 Caribou ME; Coffee Shop Worker Kills Supervisor

On January 2nd, Christopher Shumway, 19, murdered his supervisor Erin Sperrey, 20, for allegedly rejecting his requests to go out with him. The two worked in a coffee shop in Caribou, ME and were alone when Shumway cornered Sperrey in the back room where he kicked and beat her mercilessly. He then reportedly went back on to the floor where he waited on several customers while she died from her injuries. Sperrey’s mother stated that her daughter was too polite to tell Shumway no but instead made up excuses about why she couldn’t go out with him. He later put Sperrey in her car but later abondoned the vehicle on the roadside. Although $1,200 was also missing from the shop, police do not believe that robbery was a motive. Shumway was later found in a Bangor hotel the next day.

1/26/05 Toledo Ohio Jeep Factory Worker Shoots 3 Supervisors; Kills Self

At a Toledo, OH Jeep plant, an employee shot three supervisors on January 26th. Myles Meyers, 54, walked in the plant about 8:45 pm with a double barreled shotgun and demanded to see his supervisors. He pointed the gun at a co-worker and ordered her to call the targets of his rage. He killed one supervisor and wounded two others before shooting himself in the head. He had recently been put on an in-house three day suspension for a minor infraction. However, the day before, he met with management and representatives from the union to discuss work quality issues. The meeting went reportedly well but Meyers did not show up on time for his next shift. He later appeared with the weapon, seeking out his supervisors. Once the police found his body, they needed to bring in a bomb squad after finding wires protruding from underneath his clothes. This was later discovered to be from a sling he fashioned to hide the 20-gauge under this jacket.

1/19/05 Canadian Mental Health Worker Fatally Stabbed by Client

In Vancouver, mental health steward, John David Bland, was fatally stabbed by a client in the Richmond Mental Health Office parking deck on January 19th. As Bland was leaving work, he was stabbed numerous times and was later found by co-workers. He was able to state the name of the offender, Roy Dalen, before he lost consciousness. Bland was a vocational therapist who helped people prepare for jobs with community organizations and private companies and had worked in the mental health field for more than 30 years. Tragically, he had only 2 more shifts before he was set to retire.