A security officer at Summa St. Thomas Hospital is in stable condition after he was stabbed several times by a psychiatric patient Tuesday night, hospital officials said.
Andrew Wallace, 33, was arrested and charged with felonious assault. Wallace, who police said is homeless, is accused of concealing a knife while he was admitted to the hospital.
Wallace was being held at the county jail pending his arraignment.
The 54-year-old security officer suffered serious wounds and was transported by paramedics to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center for treatment, police said. He was rushed into emergency surgery upon arrival. Paramedics drove him to Akron General because they believed it would be a quicker trip because of traffic issues, according to reports.
In a news release, Summa spokesperson Mike Bernstein said the attack was “unprovoked.” The officer is expected to make a full recovery, he said.
The officer’s family thanked police and the public for their support and has asked for privacy.
Neither police nor hospital officials would comment on what led to the stabbing. Police directed questions to the hospital, and Bernstein said the hospital would not discuss the incident.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Cleveland office of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it was opening an investigation into workplace safety concerns regarding the security officer’s injuries.
“This incident should be a reminder to employers,” said Joe Warner, OSHA’s assistant area director in Cleveland, “to ensure that they are taking all procedures possible to protect workers who must deal with unstable patients and other situations where they may encounter violence in the workplace.”
Jim Gosky, a Summa spokesperson, said incidents like this are “not unexpected.”
“It’s standard operating procedure,” he said, “and we’re cooperating fully with the investigation.”