Nursing Home Massacre
Posted by Patti on March 29th, 2009 / 
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Today we learn of a horrible event at a nursing home in NC.
CARTHAGE, N.C. (AP) – A gunman burst into a North Carolina nursing home Sunday morning and started “shooting everything,” killing seven residents and a nurse and wounding at least three others.
Robert Stewart, 45, of Moore County, was charged hours later with eight counts of first-degree murder and a single charge of felony assault of a law enforcement officer. Authorities offered few other details, allowing only that Stewart was not a patient or an employee at the nursing home, and isn’t believe to be related to any of the victims.
This happened at 10am or so…right in the middle of morning get ups. The aides were all busy doing personal care, showers; perhaps some activities had just started. Being a Sunday, no administration would have been around.
The victims were identified as residents Tessie Garner, 88; Lillian Dunn, 89; Jessie Musser, 88; Bessie Hendrick, 78; John Goldston, 78; Margaret Johnson, 89; Louise Decker, 98; and nurse Jerry Avent, whose age wasn’t immediately available.
This brings tears to my eyes. The most vulnerable people- with the least amount of security available for protection. There isn’t much info about the killer- who he is, what his motive was- answers to the questions that are nagging many of us. And the other thoughts: What can nursing homes do to up the security so this doesn’t happen again? Sadly, will anyone even care since the victims were old folk and not college students?
One thing: The staff who worked at the facility today will need a lot of support in the coming days. And prayers. The families of the murdered residents will need the most help…but imagine how the surviving residents and families feel right about now?
March 29th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
I can imagine that traditional grief counseling methods will be applied in multitudes. As an Administrator, though, I’m not sure how I would even be able to move forward in any reasonable amount of time.
Pinelake is a five-star community and will hopefully find a way to continue their wonderful practices. Instilling confidence in the staff and residents that a secure environment is possible will be paramount – however it seems that a temporary reprieve (if possible) from the actual environment may be necessary for recovery.
March 29th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Here is the contact info for the Administrator. I will be sending him an email offering my sympathies and prayers.
801 Pinehurst Avenue
Carthage, NC 28327
Administrator:
Bernard Bryant
Phone: 910-947-5155
Fax: 910-947-5631
Email: bbryant@peakresourcesinc.com
March 30th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Awful. What bothers me most about this is now I just read that the man who did this might have been acting to hurt his estranged wife who worked there. Imagine being HER right about now?? The guilt she must be feeling, but not deserved. Also, this brings up the whole gun control problem. People who have access to guns who should not have access is a real problem. Reports are saying this man had a violent history. He should not have owned a gun.
Having said that I do believe people kill people, not guns.
I sure hope this facility can deal with this tragedy in a proactive manner. I hope it’s not one of those “get over it” mentality places. The aides will need help. They will be emotional wrecks for weeks. All the staff will be- but mostly the aides and nurses. I would most likely be taking a few days off of work to get my feelings together. I would not feel safe at all. God. What a horrible tragedy.
March 30th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
I say, close the unit where the carnage took place. Clean it up, renovate it and open it back up. The place will be haunted with ghosts from many who were there- imaginary ghosts at best; the memory of the horrors will not fade so long as the face stays the same. God bless the victims families and, yes, the staff who were there.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:27 am
Cheryl,it is awful. Gun laws aside, what drives a person to do this? It seems this man was angry at his wife, who had split up with him a few weeks back. Whatever! It’s not an excuse to murder people.
I’ve seen that “Get Over It” mentality at it’s best and it. just. doesn’t. help. If anything it creates more hard heart people and keeps the cycle of violence alive and well. We need to mourn. And cry. And feel fear. To not, we risk losing our humanity.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:30 am
Yes David I agree. The logistics of this would be difficult, but I would close the unit down and totally re do it. The cleaning of the blood and odor will suffice for the appearance, but the ghosts you mention will remain. To clean it up and keep things business as usual equates to a band aide fix. I wonder how many staff will quit??