Massachusetts

Nurse Seriously Wounded After Being Stabbed by Patient

A nurse was seriously injured after being stabbed multiple times by a patient in a Massachusetts hospital's emergency room Wednesday morning, according to authorities.

Officials at Harrington Hospital in Southbridge say it happened around 10:15 a.m. when the suspect, who was being triaged for an apparent wrist injury, furnished a knife and stabbed the nurse four times. The suspect was later identified as 24-year-old Conor O'Regan.

The nurse was immediately treated in the hospital's emergency room, stabilized and then airlifted to UMass Medical Center in Worcester where she underwent surgery. She is listed in critical but stable condition.

The nurse's identity has not yet been released.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with our employee and her family at this time," hospital spokesperson Joseph Klimavich said. "I don’t know if anything like this has ever happened at Harrington."

Southbridge police said O'Regan initially fled the scene after the stabbing but officers were able to apprehend him.

Authorities said it was an isolated incident and that there is no threat to the community.

"We don’t have anything concrete in why this attack occurred," said Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. "No one expected to be coming to work today and be working on one of their good good friends in the emergency room."

His manager at the McDonald’s where O’Regan works says he appeared to be going downhill.
"We always knew he was off," said Sarah Taylor, a co-worker of the suspect at an area McDonald's. "He just seemed kind of angry... like something was getting to him but he just held it in a lot."

O'Regan's manager at the McDonald’s where he works says he appeared to be going downhill.

"We always knew he was off," said Sarah Taylor, a co-worker. "He just seemed kind of angry... like something was getting to him but he just held it in a lot."

O'Regan is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Central District Court in Worcester to face charges of assault with intent to murder and aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

"We will be moving forward for a mental health evaluation tomorrow morning," Early added. 

The investigation is ongoing.

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