WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – A shocking incident unfolded at Palms West Hospital, as Stephen Eric Scantlebury fled the scene after allegedly attacking a nurse in a brutal assault. The chaotic scene was captured on exclusive new video obtained by local news outlet WPBF 25 News, showing Scantlebury on Southern Boulevard, seeking refuge in passing vehicles while covered in blood.
Witness Wendell Sanders recounted the harrowing moment when Scantlebury approached his car door, pleading for help and claiming someone was trying to kill him. With nurses in pursuit and a security guard trailing behind, sheriff’s deputies were able to apprehend Scantlebury safely on the road.
Scantlebury, who had been displaying paranoid behavior for days, voluntarily checked himself into Palms West Hospital, citing chest pains. However, he turned violent on the third floor, viciously attacking 67-year-old nurse Leela Lal, leaving her with severe injuries and on a ventilator for survival.
In a disturbing revelation, it was confirmed that Scantlebury’s violent tendencies were not new. In 2018, he was convicted of assaulting a man in Canada by punching the grandfather of his child and attempting to harm him further by slamming a car trunk on his head, resulting in a 30-day jail sentence.
Prosecutors are concerned about Scantlebury’s Canadian citizenship posing a flight risk and a potential danger to the community, leading to a judge ordering his continued detention. However, the hospital staff at Palms West is calling for increased security measures, with over 200 nurses signing a petition for a permanent sheriff’s deputy to be stationed in the emergency room. The incident has sparked fear and urgency among healthcare workers, highlighting the need for enhanced safety protocols in healthcare settings.