BOSTON (WHDH) - A Roxbury man was arraigned Wednesday, accused of stabbing a Boston Medical Center security guard during a confrontation with several public safety officers, according to The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
The District Attorney’s Office said Brandon Bannister, 37, of Roxbury, was visiting his newborn baby and her mother in the hospital just before the violent confrontation.
Boston police officers responded to a fight at Boston Medical Center on Harrison Avenue at approximately 2 a.m. Officers said they spoke with a public safety officer who told them Bannister had been visiting a patient and was leaving with items belonging to that patient. When public safety officers confronted him about the items, police said the situation turned violent.
Video captured Bannister walking up to a safety officer who responded by pushing him away. Bannister is then seen reaching for his pocket in a way, “consistent with grabbing a weapon.” Public safety officers deployed pepper spray in response.
During the altercation, one security guard, described as being in his 20s, realized he was stabbed.
“While public safety officers were attempting to gain control of Bannister, the victim realized he was stabbed to his right leg, and began hopping on one leg towards the entrance, and proceeded to escort himself to Trauma 3,” said prosecutor Olivia Izzi.
The District Attorney’s Office said that guard sustained a life-threatening stab wound to his upper right thigh, and need a tourniquet applied. The hospital said he is recovering.
A second public safety officer sustained an 8-inch slash to his ballistic vest.
In a statement, Boston Medical Center said in part, “Earlier this morning, Boston Police and Boston Medical Center Public Safety responded to an assault on a staff member on our campus. The situation was addressed immediately, and the assailant is now in Boston Police Department custody. There is no ongoing threat to staff or patients. Our employee was treated immediately and is recovering. The hospital is open and operating normally. Boston Medical Center takes incidents such as these very seriously, and the safety and well-being of our patients and staff are always our priority.”
Police said they also recovered bags of crack cocaine from Bannister during the booking process.
Izzi said Bannister is on probation for a federal weapons charge.
Bannister’s defense attorney said he was turning his life around and is a personal trainer involved in a program to help ex-convicts.
“He was in the hospital room with the mother of his child who was in labor, she asked him to leave the room and he did with his items,” said Tanvi Verma, Bannister’s defense attorney. “As he was leaving the room he was stopped by hospital security, they accused him of taking items that weren’t his, those items were his. Then the altercation ensued from there.”
Bannister is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and trafficking cocaine over 18 grams.
The judge ordered he be held on $50,000 bail and ordered him to stay away from all Boston hospitals, “unless strapped to a gurney.” Bannister is due back in court on January 12 for a probable cause hearing.
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