LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. — A nurse in Palm Beach County suffered critical injuries after she was attacked by a patient Tuesday, deputies said.
The sheriff's office said deputies were dispatched to HCA Florida Palms West Hospital at 1:20 p.m. for an aggravated battery.
WATCH: Patient faces attempted first-degree murder charge after battering nurse at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital
Investigators said a male patient, identified as Stephen Scantlebury, attacked the nurse in a third-floor patient room.
HCA Florida Heathcare said the attack occurred "within a matter of seconds" and was "witnessed by multiple people."
The nurse was taken by helicopter to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach. Scantlebury, 33, faces charges of attempted murder.
WPTV received a video from a viewer that showed the suspect walking shirtless on Southern Boulevard with what looked to be ECG leads still attached to his chest.
The video showed hospital staff and law enforcement following the man onto the busy highway just before deputies instructed him to get on the ground and took him into custody.
“That really shocked me," said Logan Ashman, who recorded the video."It was just a freakish thing to see, because that's not something you see every day. Like hour or two [after shooting the video] , I see the news. I'm like, wow, this is bigger than I thought it is. I thought was just somebody running in the street and the cops had to get them."
Witnesses outside the hospital told WPTV reporter Michael Hoffman that it was a normal day until they saw sheriff's vehicles racing to the hospital.
Hoffman also spoke with someone who works inside the hospital who said everyone else was okay, but still shaken up.
No other details were known about what led up to the attack.
The name of the victim has not been released.
HCA Florida Healthcare released the following statement on the attack:
"Our primary concern is with our beloved colleague and we are praying for her recovery. We are also providing support to our hospital staff who are understandably shaken by this incident. The attack on our nursing colleague happened within a matter of seconds and was witnessed by multiple people who came to assist. We are grateful to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office who acted to detain the suspect and we are assisting law enforcement in their investigation."
