CARROLL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A North Charleroi man faces charges after Carroll Township police said he attacked a doctor and staff members at a Washington County hospital.
Court documents said that around 1:30 Saturday morning, police were called to Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital for a report of a violent patient.
Court documents said Victor Tyree attacked staff members after being asked not to live-stream video of the emergency room area. Police said surveillance video shows Tyree punching, pushing, and grabbing a doctor and two security guards.
Patients who visit the hospital told Channel 11 there are reminder signs inside the hospital that attacking healthcare workers is a crime, and they couldn’t believe that this happened.
“They have signs out – you’re not allowed to attack the health workers. I thought everyone knew that,” said Barbara Kendra, who regularly scheduled appointments at the hospital. “I just can’t imagine, when you’re there for a health reason, why you’d want to be attacking someone who is trying to help you.”
11 Investigates has reported on several violent incidents against healthcare workers in our region and exclusively surveyed 500 of them across the state.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 11 Investigates Code Blue: Violence in Healthcare
That survey found 93 percent of healthcare workers polled said they felt afraid at work due to violence concerns “at least sometimes.” Eighteen percent of those surveyed said they felt afraid at work “most days” or “every day.”
“You have to have eyes in the back of your head. I know anywhere I go, I try to be familiar with my surroundings,” said Joyce Wilson of Monongahela. “It makes you not want to go to the emergency room.”
Police arrested Tyree and said he continued to be combative after being brought back to the police station. He faces several charges, including aggravated assault and resisting arrest.
Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital officials sent this statement to Channel 11:
“At Penn Highlands Healthcare, we have zero tolerance for any form of physical or verbal aggression, harassment or abuse toward our staff, patients, or visitors. We strongly believe that violence in healthcare settings is unacceptable and will not be tolerated under any circumstances. We are committed to creating an environment where all members of our community including our patients, visitors, physicians and staff feel safe and respected.
As a health system, we have comprehensive policies and procedures in place for the safety and security of our patients, employees, and visitors. We provide regular training and drills for our staff to stay current on safety protocols, best practices, and effective de-escalation techniques. We have measures in place such as trained security personnel, restricted access during certain hours and video monitoring to help secure our facilities. We work in close collaboration with local law enforcement and continuously evaluate and refine our security strategies to proactively prevent and mitigate safety concerns."
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