More than 1,200 assaults have occurred at 16 hospitals across the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast over the past five years, with many targeting hospital staff members who say they fear for their safety at work.
An investigation by our team found law enforcement officers respond to assaults or disturbances at hospitals in our five-county area about three times every day. In the worst cases, these attacks have changed victims’ lives forever.
Hospital violence crisis: 1,200+ assaults leave health care workers fearful
“People are becoming more violent and less tolerant. And more demanding,” said Linda Stewart, a former nurse.
Recent violent incidents highlight growing problem
Several high-profile cases demonstrate the severity of the issue:
- Larry Ray Bon, a double amputee Army veteran, shot a doctor and fellow veteran at the West Palm Beach VA in 2019. He was later convicted on federal charges after prosecutors said he smuggled a gun in his wheelchair
- Kendra Greene, a knife-wielding woman, was arrested in 2023 and is awaiting trial after deputies said she stabbed three nurses and tried to abduct a child from a neonatal unit at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital
- Stephen Scantlebury, a Baker Act patient, was charged with attacking nurse Leelamma Lal in February, leaving her severely injured and nearly blind, which also occurred at HCA Florida Palms West
“It’s not just her. It’s a systemic problem. Things need to change,” said Cindy Joseph, Lal’s daughter.
Data reveals troubling trends
Records from a dozen law enforcement agencies show assaults and disturbances at hospitals are common. Analysis of data from 16 hospitals revealed officers responded more than 5,000 times over the last five years for assaults and disturbances.
The number of assaults specifically spiked in 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, then reached a five-year high in 2024 with 260 assaults at area hospitals…