A 33-year-old man in Florida attacked an Indian-origin nurse and made hateful remarks about Indians, a police officer said in court. The attacker, Stephen Scantlebury, was a patient at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital. On February 19, he brutally assaulted 67-year-old nurse Leelamma Lal in the hospital’s psychiatric ward. She suffered multiple fractures, especially on her face, and had to be hospitalized for treatment. The incident has sparked outrage, with many calling for strict action against the attacker.

Sergeant Beth Newcomb from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office revealed Scantlebury’s racial rant while testifying against him in court.

According to Sgt. Newcomb, Scantlebury fled from Palms West Hospital shirtless, with medical leads still attached to his chest. When she confronted him, he made hateful remarks, saying, “Indians are bad. I just beat the s*** out of an Indian doctor.” His statement has added to the outrage surrounding the brutal attack on nurse Leelamma Lal.
A local news report stated that "Scantlebury beat nurse Leelamma Lal so badly that ‘essentially every bone’ in her face was broken.”

Scantlebury was arrested soon after the attack and charged with attempted murder with a hate crime enhancement. At the time of his arrest, officers found him shirtless, shoeless, and still covered in EKG leads. Sources revealed that he had been admitted under Florida's Baker Act, which allows individuals to be hospitalized for mental health evaluation during a crisis.

Since the attack, there has been a wave of support for Lal, along with growing demands for better safety measures in hospitals. A petition calling for stricter penalties against those who assault healthcare workers has already gained over 9,500 signatures in just two days.

The attack has drawn strong reactions from various organizations. The Hindu American Foundation condemned the incident on X, stating that rising anti-India rhetoric is putting lives at risk and must be stopped.

The Indian Nurses Association of South Florida also denounced the assault, emphasizing the broader safety concerns for medical professionals. Dr Manju Samuel, the association's advisory board chair, highlighted the lack of specific legal protections for healthcare workers. "There is a deficiency, and that must be addressed by lawmakers," she stated, calling for urgent action to ensure their safety.

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