Hospital Employees Attacked in Separate Incidents

Staunton, VA (WorkersCompensation.com) – Hospital employees continue to be victims of attacks in incidents across the country.

In Staunton, Va., police arrested a 29-year-old man accused of attacking an employee at Western State Hospital in February. Police said Thomas Trivette was arrested last week for an attack on an employee at the state-run psychiatric facility. He’s been charged with felony malicious wounding.

Sgt. Chris Ammons, a spokesman for the Staunton Police Department said on Feb. 24, a female staffer at the hospital attempted to confront Trivette over an undisclosed issue. Trivette allegedly responded by repeatedly punching the employee. The attack resulted in the employee suffering a concussion, bruising and a cut lip. Ammons said some of the woman’s hair was ripped out as well.

Trivette had previously been charged with robbery of a business in 2020 but was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He also has convictions for being a non-violent felon in possession of a gun and extortion, court records said. He’s being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail in Verona.

In Michigan, a hospital employee was shot by a co-worker, police said.

The incident took place outside of the hospital in the parking lot. Officials said they responded to a shooting at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital, Lt. Ben Hancock of the Troy Police Department said. One victim was treated for injuries, officials said. Officials said a hospital employee shot a co-worker multiple times in the parking garage.

The employee, a 25-year-old man, was struck twice in the arm when the suspect fired a handgun five times. The victim’s vehicle was also struck. The victim was in stable condition after the incident, officials said.

According to the police, the victim and suspect were friends who had a falling out, Troy Police Department Chief Josh Jones said at a press conference. The suspect was taken into custody at a residence in Troy after he fled the scene. Officials contacted the suspect by phone, and he surrendered to the police without incident.

The hospital was immediately put on lockdown after the incident “out of an abundance of caution,” Corewell Health said in a statement.

Police said the shooting stemmed from the shooter not getting an invitation to a funeral.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said the March 20 shooting happened after the victim got off his shift. The shooter, 21-year-old Robert Paljusevic, followed the victim to the parking garage and fired seven shots at him.

Police described the shooting as a “targeted event” between the two coworkers. McDonald said Paljusevic allegedly had a ”Jekyll and Hyde” personality, sometimes “easygoing” and other times he would “overreact,” Troy Police Detective Carlo Pizzorni told the Free Press.

Police said the two employees had a falling out at some point, and that Paljusevic “was upset that he was not invited” to a private viewing for the victim’s father, who had died in January.

“The mother of the man shot allegedly told police that Paljusevic made vulgar comments to the body of the victim’s father at the public viewing,” media reports indicated. He later FaceTimed the victim, showing himself urinating on a brochure from the funeral, Pizzorni testified in court, and told the victim he shouldn’t be “surprised if something happens” when he sees him in public.

Paljusevic was charged with assault with intent to murder and felony gun charges, according to the prosecutor. He is being held in the Oakland County Jail without bond. He is due in court March 31.

And in Mississippi, a domestic dispute in a Jackson nursing home left one woman and her shooter dead.

Jackson Police said the incident happened around midnight Friday at Pine Forest Health and Rehabilitation. According to reports, Destiny Stewart, 20, was shot once in the head in Pine Forest’s parking lot. She was arguing with 29-year-old Samuel Coleman prior to the incident, police said.

At some point, Coleman opened fire on Stewart. When she was shot, Coleman went into his car and shot himself.

Stewart was a Certified Nurse Assistant at the nursing home. Both Stewart and Coleman were taken to a nearby hospital where they were treated and placed on life support. They were taken off life support on Saturday, officials said.

“Whatever the situation was, if she wanted to move on with life or she wanted to end the relationship with him, that should have been the end of it,” Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade said. “It should not have been a situation where you’ve got to take her life and then take your life, because now both families are destroyed forever here in the City of Jackson.”

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