A 25-year-old man was arrested in connection with an attack on a nurse at the Montreal General Hospital.
It happened at about 2:00 A.M. on Saturday.
According to police, a psychiatric patient became aggressive and forced his way into an area with a single nurse. Once inside he allegedly grabbed her by the hair, threw her to the floor and then wrapped his hands around her throat. Unable to call out for help the nurse poked her attacker in the eyes to avoid being strangled.
Moments later a patient attendant walked by, noticed the nurse in trouble and attempted to break up the attack. The ensuing struggle alerted another staff member and eventually security.
Police later arrived at the hospital and arrested the man. He remains in custody and is expected to appear in court Tuesday to face charges of aggravated assault and assault causing bodily harm.
A veteran employee told the Montreal Gazette the attack comes after several cuts were made to ER staff so there are fewer people on the night shift and there is no longer a security guard stationed near the triage desk, now there are only two guards on the stationed on the sixth floor.