3 nurses injured in hit-and-run as they tried to help a shooting victim outside a Philly hospital, police say

Michelle Myers, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Oct 12, 2024

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PHILADELPHIA — Three nurses were seriously injured after being struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run as they tried to help a shooting victim outside Penn Presbyterian Medical Center early Saturday morning, police said.

Around 4:20 a.m., police said a driver in a silver Jeep Cherokee arrived at Penn Presbyterian’s ambulance bay area to drop off a 28-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds. As the nurses gathered to provide first aid, the driver struck the nurses and the shooting victim, police said, then fled the scene.

Police said a 36-year-old nurse was in critical condition, with facial injuries and internal bleeding. A 37-year-old nurse suffered injuries to his legs, and a 51-year-old nurse suffered injuries to his head and back. They are both listed in stable condition, according to police.

The shooting victim — who police said was wounded on the 1300 block of Belmont Avenue — may have suffered an additional head injury as the driver fled the scene, police said. His condition was unknown, police said.

Police did not release the names of the nurses or the shooting victim.

In a statement, a Penn Medicine spokesperson condemned gun violence and assured that the hospital is providing support resources for the injured nurses and their families.

“In a workplace where teams are devoted to caring for others, this incident is devastating to our staff, and is a reminder of the tragic, far-reaching toll of gun violence on entire communities,” the spokesperson said.

In a statement Saturday, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, who represents West Philadelphia, said she was “horror-struck” by the news.

“I am praying that all three nurses make a full and speedy recovery, most especially the one who remains in critical condition. I also commend the emergency room team for continuing to care for their patients while dealing with this traumatic incident,” Gauthier said.

“As West Philly’s only adult Level 1 Trauma Center, the nurses and staff at Penn Presbyterian are on the front lines of the gun violence crisis. Every day they come face-to-face with gruesome pain and suffering to care for us during the most traumatic moments of our lives. It is unfathomable to me that someone would drive their car into our neighbors charged with healing.”

Authorities believe the driver was possibly in his early 20s, and are asking anyone with information about both the hit-and-run and the shooting to contact the Philadelphia Police Department’s tip line at 215-686-8477.