France is shocked this Tuesday by the death of a nurse who was attacked on Monday with a knife by a man with mental problems at the university hospital in the French city of Reims, in the north of the country. The assailant also seriously injured a secretary at the center.
The French Minister of Health, François Braun, announced on Tuesday on his Twitter account the death of the 38-year-old nurse, and has sent his condolences to his relatives and the hospital team.
“The aggression of a caregiver is indescribable, inadmissible,” declared the minister, who has promised to bring together at the end of this week all the parties involved in the safety of the toilets. This question is increasingly worrying, because last year, 37% of health workers in France said they had been involved in some type of violence. The authors, in 90% of the cases, are patients or companions.
“It is one of the greatest dramas that can affect our nation,” said the government spokesman, Olivier Véran.
The attack occurred in a locker room in the center, where the two women were. The suspect, who is 59 years old and was quickly apprehended, had a knife in his pants pocket. “He seems to have acted for no apparent reason, especially since he did not have an appointment,” said the Reims prosecutor.
The assailant had mental problems and had undergone enhanced treatment for years. In June 2022, he was implicated in an assault case, but it was ultimately found that he had no criminal responsibility.
The Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, has regretted the drama and has highlighted the work of the toilets. “Your daily commitment to her is fundamental to the proper functioning of our country,” she said in a press release.
Attacks on toilets and teachers are becoming more frequent. Two months ago a teacher died in the town of San Juan de Luz after being attacked by a student, also with mental problems.
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