‘Blood going everywhere’: Patient recalls stabbing inside downtown Edmonton hospital emergency room

The weekend stabbing inside the emergency room of the Royal Alexandra Hospital, north of Edmonton’s downtown, has one man in serious condition and another man facing charges.

One person inside the ER when it happened recounted the incident to CityNews, as Alberta doctors call for better security measures inside hospitals.

“There was a lot of commotion and people were panicking,” recounted Jordan Scott, who witnessed the incident. “That’s when I saw the knife and blood going everywhere. And at that point I just kind of stepped back.”

BACKGROUND: ‘Unsettling:’ Minister says one patient attacked another at Edmonton emergency room

Edmonton police say a 42-year-old patient sustained life-threatening injuries when he was stabbed by another man inside the hospital’s ER Friday night.

Scott was there, telling CityNews it was a part of an 11-hour wait at the ER.

“And I just kind of ran and hid behind a wall, and I kind of just sat there until someone had came and recovered me, got me some oxygen and blood pressure was taken.”

EPS confirms the man arrested by police had edged weapons. He now faces weapons and assault charges.

“When you go the Royal Alexandra Hospital emergency room, you’re definitely seeing a very chaotic waiting room, and people come in off the street and you don’t know necessarily what they are carrying,” described Dr. Brian Wirzba with the Alberta Medical Association.

Security issues in Alberta hospitals is a growing issue, according to Wirzba, who feels it’s only gotten worse since the pandemic.

“Just in general, people have… they’re a little less gracious to their fellow citizens, and a bit more aggressive post-pandemic,” Dr. Wirzba said. “We definitely know drug and substance abuse is a big factor, and mental health is a big factor.”

Alberta’s minister of hospital services, Matt Jones, expressed his shock to the stabbing on social media. He promised that in addition to increasing security officers, AHS will be adding more advanced screening for weapons at the Royal Alex.

“This program will add an additional layer of protection for both patients and staff,” Jones wrote.

“We recognize that incidents like this are unsettling. No one, patients, staff, or physicians, should feel unsafe in our hospitals. I remain committed to ensuring a safe environment for those seeking care and for the dedicated health care workers who provide it. We will continue to take steps to strengthen safety at this site.”

For now, Scott says she’s processing what she saw in the Royal Alex emergency room, adding she never wants to go back.

“I don’t think anything will make confident or comfortable,” she said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever bring myself back there.”