PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Jefferson University Hospital is being sued by the family of a nursing assistant who was shot and killed in October 2021, allegedly by an off-duty colleague.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Anrae James, who was 43 years old. His family said lax hospital security made it possible for Stacey Hayes to walk armed to the ninth floor of the hospital and, according to investigators, shoot his co-worker to death.
"The lawsuit alleges a lapse and a failure to follow reasonable and appropriate security measures on the part of Jefferson,” James family attorney Steven Wigrizer said.
The complaint alleges that Hayes walked into the hospital wearing civilian attire, carrying a cross-body bag with multiple weapons inside it. The complaint further says that camera footage shows how security guards had abandoned their posts, allowing Hayes to find James and shoot multiple rounds at him while he was sitting at a desk.
Wigrizer pointed out that the hospital has since changed its security protocol, applauding its action to protect people inside.
Related
"It's a shame that it took a targeted murder like this to bring about change,” he said.
"But some of the measures that they took, [like] closing certain entrances at certain times and making sure that security stations are manned and other changes, certainly should have been in place long before this,” said Wigrizer.
He added that numerous steps are upcoming in both the civil suit and the criminal case.
Related
"We filed the complaint. We're going to get a response, and then we're going to begin taking depositions,” Wigrizer said. “There's a murder trial that will take place, and we're going to be paying close attention to that as well."
Representatives from Jefferson University Hospital did not initially respond Wednesday to KYW Newsradio’s request for comment.
For more from KYW Newsradio:
- Download the Audacy App
- Listen live
- Listen on your smart speaker