Hospital stabbing victim out of surgery, in stable condition

Seven Oaks Hospital is sharing more details about a serious incident between two employees that has shaken their staff.

On Wednesday, a Seven Oaks Hospital staff member in her 60s was in the atrium, talking with one of her colleagues. One of her co-workers, who was not scheduled to be there at that time, blew through the screening process.

"This individual just walked right in, past the screeners, and assaulted this individual. We have no idea why," Mike Nader, President and CEO of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority says in a press conference outside of Seven Oaks Hospital on Thursday.

Nearby staff jumped in, pulling the man off of her. Police immediately arrested the suspect. Police were already there looking for the man in connection to a homicide discovered earlier in the day in New Bothwell.

"This was really an unprecedented situation," Nader says. "Our hearts and minds are with the staff member who was assaulted yesterday."

The woman was rushed to urgent care at Seven Oaks and has since been transferred to another hospital. She is now in stable, but critical, condition after getting out of surgery. 

Nader says their staff are glad to see their co-worker has gotten out of surgery.

"This individual was well-loved by staff and colleagues but we are just really really happy that she is out of surgery and that at this point in time we understand that she is stable."

The president says this was premeditated and could not have been prevented. Nader says the woman was not the direct supervisor of the suspect, but cannot share more details on their status. 

"(Staff) are used to seeing people come in, injured and hurt. They are not used to seeing their co-worker beside them," Nader says. "The teams there, I can't express enough how resilient they have been with it."

The hospital is providing spiritual care to the staff and witnesses. 

On Thursday afternoon police revealed that this man is now undergoing medical assessments.

Visitation has resumed at the hospital after closing areas due to the police investigation.