An argument between two patients at Tewksbury State Hospital's Nichols Building turned violent Monday afternoon, ending with a 45-year-old man under arrest after an alleged sharp-object attack, according to police. Staff broke up the fight before officers arrived, and the alleged victim was not seriously hurt. The suspect is facing a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon and is expected to be arraigned in Lowell District Court.
Officers were called shortly after 2 p.m. to the Nichols Building, which houses a second-step detox program run by Beth Israel Lahey Health. Investigators say the 45-year-old accused the other patient of stealing before allegedly striking him with a sharp object. Staff separated the pair before police got there, and the incident was first detailed by The Boston Globe.
Security Policy At Center Of Debate
The flare-up arrives right in the middle of a heated fight over a new Department of Public Health directive that bars Tewksbury's security team from carrying defensive tactical weapons such as pepper gel, batons and handcuffs. State officials say the shift follows clinical guidance aimed at keeping treatment settings therapeutic. Nurses and local leaders counter that the policy strips away tools staff rely on when violence breaks out without warning, a concern detailed by GBH News.
Officials, Unions And Police React
Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus said the latest episode "underscores the daily safety risks present on the campus" and noted that the individual "reportedly has 129 entries on their criminal record," according to Boston 25 News. Selectman James Mackey criticized the Select Board for not putting the security issue on its agenda and welcomed Gov. Maura Healey's move to have the secretary of public safety step in, as reported by NBC Boston.
What The Nichols Building Houses
The Nichols Building is home to a second-step detox program operated by Beth Israel Lahey Health, which lists the facility at 365 East Street on its location page. The wider state-run Tewksbury campus serves hundreds of patients across medical and behavioral health units and has roughly 370 beds, according to The Boston Globe.
Court Date And Next Steps
The suspect is expected to be arraigned Tuesday in Lowell District Court on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, police said. The investigation is still active as Tewksbury police and hospital officials review what led up to the confrontation and how it unfolded, according to NBC Boston.
Unions Push For Emergency Meeting
Union leaders, including the Massachusetts Nurses Association and SEIU 509, have demanded an emergency meeting with state health officials, arguing that frontline workers feel unsafe and need concrete changes to staffing and security. State officials say they remain in talks with local police, hospital leadership and unions as they monitor how the new security policy is playing out on the ground, according to GBH News.
