TEWKSBURY, Mass. — A patient at Tewksbury State Hospital was arrested on Monday night after police say he assaulted a fellow patient with a trash can and bedside table, marking the latest incident in a string of violence at the psychiatric facility.
Officers responding to a reported assault at the hospital just after 8 p.m. learned two patients in a locked unit had gotten into an argument that escalated, according to Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus.
The suspect, identified by Columbus as a 41-year-old man, allegedly threw a trash can at and pushed a bedside table into the victim.
The other patient was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated after complaining of pain.
Investigators later learned that the suspect, whose name hasn’t been released, had an active felony warrant for charges including several counts of assault and battery on a police officer, according to Columbus.
He now faces two charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in connection with Monday’s incident.
This alleged assault comes after similar patient-on-patient attacks. There have been three other incidents at the hospital since Tuesday, April 7, all of which resulted in workers being assaulted.
At the beginning of the month, officials announced that hospital workers could no longer use items such as pepper spray, batons, or other defensive tools, citing that such measures were inappropriate in a clinical setting. Since then, violent encounters have been mounting.
Columbus said these incidents highlight the dangers that are faced within the hospital.
“Having to remove someone from this environment is not an ideal situation for us, but when someone has an arrest warrant, we don’t have a choice,” Columbus said in a statement. “These incidents once again highlight the dangers that are faced within the hospital – especially from those who have a propensity for violence.”
A Tewksbury Hospital nurse and union official told Boston 25 News that the union is calling for an emergency meeting between state leaders and frontline workers.
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