A 59-year-old man attacked two members of this Reims hospital on Monday with a kitchen knife, killing a 38-year-old nurse. The suspect, who has a “psychiatric history”, was arrested and placed in police custody for attempted murder.
A nurse was killed and a medical secretary injured, Monday, May 22 at the hospital in Reims (Marne), during a knife attack. The two victims were attacked in the early afternoon by “a 59-year-old man, Rémois, with a psychiatric history”, said the Minister of Health, François Braun. The suspect was taken into custody for attempted murder. Here is what we know about this case.
A locker room attack with a kitchen knife
The facts took place Monday shortly before 1:30 p.m. at the Reims University Hospital, within the service of the occupational medicine and health unit, according to a press release from the public prosecutor. The attack on the nurse and the medical secretary took place while they were in a locker room. The man then tried to flee, but he was very quickly arrested by hospital security officers before being taken care of by the police.
During his arrest, the man was in possession of a kitchen knife of about twenty centimeters, learned franceinfo from a source close to the file. The suspect claimed that the knife belonged to him and admitted to having stabbed the victims three or four times, according to the same source.
A nurse killed, a medical secretary injured
After the attack, the seriously injured nurse, whose name was Carène and was 38 years old, was taken care of by several surgeons in the operating room. But she finally succumbed to her injuries, announced Tuesday morning François Braun on Twitter. “My thoughts go out to his loved ones, his colleagues, as well as all the hospital teams bereaved this morning”added the minister.
The other victim is a 56-year-old medical secretary. His vital prognosis is not engaged, assures the press release from the prosecution. She left the operating room and was in the recovery room on Monday evening, according to information sent by the Minister of Health. “It looks like things are going a lot better” concerning this second victim, detailed Tuesday morning the mayor of Reims, Arnaud Robinet. “We are waiting for good news”continued the chosen one before emphasizing however that it was necessary “to be careful”.
The suspect had benefited from a dismissal last year for acts of aggravated violence
The suspect “seems to have acted without apparent motive, especially since he had no appointment in this service” of “medicine and occupational health”explains the press release from the Reims prosecutor, Matthew Bourette. During his arrest, the suspect explained that he was angry with the hospital environment, according to information from franceinfo. Making incoherent remarks, he claimed to have been mistreated for several years in psychiatric circles. He assured that, each time he comes across a white coat, he “will plant” because he wants “get revenge”. He “seems to suffer from severe disorders and has been the subject of a reinforced curatorship measure for several years”according to the press release.
The man was taken into custody for attempted murder and the investigation was entrusted to the central police station in Reims. He had benefited in June 2022 from a dismissal “for criminal irresponsibility” after having been “indicted in Châlons-en-Champagne for acts of aggravated violence”said the Reims prosecutor. “This case was soon to be referred to the investigating chamber of the Reims Court of Appeal to rule on the security measures likely to be taken.”
The Minister of Health promises to act as violence against caregivers exploded
François Braun has promised to quickly learn the lessons of this tragedy. “I will convene a committee before the end of the week with all the stakeholders, the unions, the professionals” to “see what can be done to guarantee even more safety for caregivers”said the Minister of Health during his press briefing at the Reims hospital.
The French Hospital Federation, chaired by the mayor of Reims, stressed in a press release that “this aggression” registered “in a more general context marked, in recent years, by several acts of physical or verbal violence in public hospitals”. Violence against health professionals increased by nearly 23% in 2022 compared to 2021, precisely alerts a report by the Observatory for the safety of doctors unveiled on Tuesday. “Unfortunately, caregivers are increasingly targeted by acts of violence: 37% of healthcare professionals say they were victims of it last year”also reacts the president of the Federation of private hospitalization, Lamine Gharbi. “This violence in health care settings, like in Reims, is absolutely intolerable.”
“The world of psychiatry is sorely lacking in resources”said Monday on franceinfo Arnaud Chiche, anesthetist-resuscitator, president of the Collective health in danger. “Since the Covid crisis, there has been a deleterious climate” with “many caregivers threatened”, he adds. According to him, psychiatry needs “specific personnel who must be valued”.