Report: Patient punches nurse, admits to police she didn't want medical help from a white person

MEMPHIS, TN - A woman was arrested on Christmas Even after allegedly assaulting a nurse at Methodist South Hospital, stating that she refused to be treated by a white attendant.

According to the Post Millennial, the incident happened on Tuesday, December 24th, when the woman, since identified as 26-year-old Dashawna Williams, allegedly punched a nurse in the face with a closed fist while receiving treatment at the Memphis hospital. Law enforcement officials said that Williams admitted to striking the nurse solely because of her race.

WREG reported that police said Williams has been diagnosed with mental health conditions and CIT officers were on scene to assist. Williams has been charged with assault for striking the nurse. However, police noted that she was wanted on a warrant issued for December 4th that was related to a carjacking.

Court records state that on November 13, 2023, Williams allegedly walked up to a man sitting in a Nissan Altima outside of a convenience store on Prescott. She held her hand in her purse as if she had a gun and demanded the man's car. She then drove off in the man's Altima, which she told police she sold to an unknown person for $40.

Police were able to identify Williams after the store owner said the woman, who was seen in store surveillance video taking the car, had left her identification in the store that day. Court records show Williams was arrested and had a bail setting hearing scheduled as well as a hearing before Judge Bill Anderson set for September 12th.

Records show that the charges of carjacking and employment of a firearm in a felony were dismissed for lack of prosecution. Williams is now being held on a $50,500 bond for assaulting the nurse. Her next court date will take place on January 7, 2025.

In a separate incident, a man has been charged with assaulting a nurse at a Metro Vancouver hospital in an attack that police say left her seriously injured. According to reports, police in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada, said that a 41-year-old man has been charged with assault causing bodily harm. He is scheduled to appear in court on February 10th.

Investigators said that the man was arrested after officers responded to call at Eagle Ridge Hospital on November 20th about a discharged patient attacking a female nurse. The man was immediately arrested after the attack. Const. Sam Zacharias said, "I believe the suspect is known to police and has a criminal record."

Adriane Gear, the president of the B.C. Nurses' Union, said she was relieved to see charges being brought against the alleged attacker, though she called it an "anomaly" and said people often got away with assaulting health-care workers. She said, "We're looking for legislative changes, such as in the Criminal Code of Canada, that it would be considered an aggravating circumstance at the time of sentencing if somebody has assaulted a health-care worker, including nurses."