Nurse Tammy Scott and paramedic Kayla McMahan, the two health care workers stabbed inside SSM Health DePaul Hospital in July 2022, stood outside the St. Louis County courthouse on Monday and described how the attack and the long recovery that followed have upended their lives. They recounted the moment the assailant struck while they were on duty, with McMahan saying, "I thought I was dead."
The pair spoke as court proceedings in the long-running criminal case moved ahead and used their brief time with reporters to press for accountability and stronger protections for hospital staff. Both women attended the hearing and then answered questions outside the courthouse, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The 2022 Attack and Charges
Officials say the assault happened on July 11, 2022, inside DePaul's emergency department when a patient allegedly attacked staff members who were caring for others. Local reporting from that time identifies the suspect as 30-year-old Jimissa Rivers, who was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action, with bond set at 2 million dollars, according to WLBT.
Hospital Response and Staff Safety
After the stabbings, SSM Health announced a package of security upgrades, including installing a metal detector at the emergency entrance and adding around-the-clock armed security as part of a broader review of campus safety. Spectrum News reported those immediate changes, while later coverage in Becker's Hospital Review noted that staff members had previously raised concerns about workplace violence that some say were not addressed.
Survivors' Recovery and Demands
Scott, who was stabbed in the head while helping a man with chest pains, and McMahan detailed the shock of the sudden attack and the lengthy recovery process that followed. They said they hope speaking publicly in Clayton keeps pressure on officials and hospital leaders to make emergency departments safer for frontline workers, as reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Where the Case Stands
The criminal case remains active in the 21st Judicial Circuit, with hearings continuing in St. Louis County Circuit Court. Court schedules show ongoing proceedings but no trial date set so far. Calendars and other operations are managed by the St. Louis County Courts.
For now, Scott and McMahan's comments on the courthouse steps are part of a wider national conversation about workplace violence in hospitals and whether security measures added after high-profile incidents really go far enough. Health systems in the region say they are strengthening protections, but workers and advocates continue to call for more consistent, systemwide reforms to prevent similar attacks. Becker's Hospital Review examined some of those debates in the wake of the DePaul incident.
