A frightening scene unfolded inside the SOMC Emergency Room after a patient allegedly turned violent and attacked a member of the medical staff — a stark reminder of the daily risks faced by healthcare workers on the front lines.
Hospital security restrained the man as Portsmouth Police rushed in to take control of the situation. Officers arrested Justin Hensley, of Greenup, Kentucky, on two counts of assault and two counts of aggravated menacing. He was also trespassed from the property, meaning he is legally barred from returning.
Hensley was booked into the Scioto County Jail and appeared in Portsmouth Municipal Court, where a pre-trial hearing was set for January 12. Despite the severity of the allegations, the court released him on his own recognizance.
Violence in Healthcare: A Growing Crisis
While the public often sees hospitals as safe havens, healthcare workers know a harsher reality. Nurses, ER staff, and medical technicians are statistically four times more likely to be assaulted on the job than workers in any other industry.
In emergency rooms — where stress, mental illness, substance abuse, and medical crises collide — danger is constant.
Common risks workers face include:
- Physical assaults
- Verbal threats and harassment
- Attacks by patients under the influence
- Violence from individuals in mental health crisis
- Unexpected outbursts during medical emergencies
Hospitals train staff to de-escalate situations, but they rely on police to step in when patients or visitors become a danger to themselves or others — exactly what happened here.
Every ER assault has a ripple effect:
- Staff may be traumatized or unable to work
- Patient care across the department is disrupted
- Other patients and families are put at risk
- Hospitals must divert time and resources to safety rather than treatment
Police and hospital security remain the last line of defense, and incidents like this highlight their essential partnership in keeping healthcare settings safe.
