“He actually had the barrel pointed at my chest”: Staff calls for security changes at Regina Hospital

REGINA – It was a tense situation outside Regina General Hospital Wednesday night when a teenager pointed a gun at staff members.

Luckily nobody was hurt, but the incident is sounding the alarm about safety for staff and patients for the second time in only two months.

An employee who doesn’t want to be identified said he couldn’t sleep after the gun was pulled on him and three of his colleagues outside during a work break.

“At first he had the gun pointed at my stomach, but then when he started moving away he actually had the barrel pointed up at my chest,” he recalled.

The employee said the teen had approached the group for a cigarette, but they declined due to hospital policy.

The 17-year-old then went into the hospital, and when he came back later shoved a staff member before pulling out the weapon.

“I was thinking, hopefully I just make it through this and he will calm down,” he added.

The staff member wanted to remain anonymous fearing he might lose his job for speaking out over what he describes as a lack of security at the hospital.

However, three more nurses at the same hospital came forward with the same concerns Thursday.

Tammy Pompu said she doesn’t feel safe going to and from her vehicle.

“If I’m going to be parked for a second I have to re-lock my doors, and I think, ‘should I walk with my keys in my hand’,” she explained to the media.

Her colleague Danielle Doucette shared the same sentiment, and said she’d like to see more security on property.

“It’s added stress when you’re coming into a stressful job already,” she said.

The three are renewing calls that were made in December after a security scare at Regina General Hospital.

Mid-December, a nurse in the NICU was attacked and beaten after walking to her car after her shift which prompted many to come forward.

Another nurse, Karly Simpson, said the incident has forced some staff to take matters into their own hands.

“Some are starting to carry dog spray around, and some are reviewing the criminal code for how it applies if you’re doing something in self defense,” said Simpson.

The head of security services for the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region, Barry Stricker, said they’ve stepped up the hospital’s safewalk program since the initial incident and there have been increased patrols.

However, Stricker said there haven’t been enough incidents to have any additional staff hired.

“We just don’t have the numbers,” he explained.  “We’ve had two incidents in a month and a half. We’re monitoring the activity, but if a change in staff would alleviate it then it’s something we’d consider.”

The NDP’s deputy leader Trent Wotherpsoon said this most recent incident is proof the security measures currently in place are inadequate.

“It needs to become an urgent priority, it’s unacceptable to just simply leave this issue stand and leave so many at risk.”

The teen is facing a total of eight charges and made his first court appearance Thursday afternoon.