LA Nurse Dies Days After Homeless Man Attacked Her at Bus Stop, Police Say

A Los Angeles nurse has died days after authorities say she was attacked by a homeless man while waiting for a bus at downtown Union Station.

Police responded to the incident at  5:15 a.m. Thursday morning on “the corner of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and Vignes Street,” the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) stated in a release obtained by Breitbart News. 

The nurse identified as 70-year-old Sandra Shells, who worked at LA County-USC Medical Center, was allegedly attacked by a homeless man while she waited for a bus during her morning commute, KNBC reports.

“Upon arrival, officers discovered that the suspect, later identified as Kerry Bell, had struck the victim in the face, causing her to fall to the ground and sustain a fractured skull,” the LAPD’s release reads. 

“Bell struck the victim without provocation and for no reason,” the release later states. 

Shells was rushed to a hospital and was listed in critical condition before she died Sunday, according to KABC.

About an hour and a half later, Bell, a 48-year-old homeless man, was arrested after authorities found him sleeping near the scene of the incident, according to the LAPD.
“Authorities noted a homeless encampment nearby but police are still looking into whether the man in custody lives there,” said KNBC.

The Los Angeles Times reports he “was booked on charges of attempted murder,” and online arrest records show he is being held on a $2,000,000 bail. It remains unclear if charges are being amended now that Shells has died.

KNBC reports Shells died Sunday at the hospital she worked at for nearly 40 years.

The LA County-USC Medical Center released a statement on Shells’ death in the evening Sunday, according to the LA Times:

Sandra Shells will forever be remembered for her compassionate care and unmatched dedication to her patients and her community throughout her 38-year career at LAC+USC. Sandra worked tirelessly and selflessly to keep her patients safe and healthy and will always be remembered as a ‘kind, compassionate and giving nurse’ with a ‘helpful and thoughtful nature’ who was a favorite amongst colleagues and patients. There will never be enough words to express our gratitude for her tremendous work and dedication.

Officials with the Los Angeles Metro Transit Authority released a statement on Thursday regarding the attack:

Metro is appalled upon hearing of this incident. Metro’s highest concern is the safety of our customers, and along with our law enforcement partners, we have zero tolerance for crimes committed against our customers. Perpetrators will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted to the greatest extent of the law.

The incident has left members of the community shaken. One mother, Braneka Wilson, spoke with KABC as she and her daughter waited for a bus.

My concerns is safety issues. A lot of homeless people are out here harassing the patrons waiting for the bus. It’s unsafe. They’re down here trying to rob us, rape us, anything they can do, they’re yelling at us, it’s a lot of mental health. And I think that law enforcement needs to come out and kind of, address these issues, to make the city more safe. 

Transit crimes in Democrat-run cities have been making headlines as of late. A brutal alleged murder occurred at the Times Square Subway Station in New York City on Saturday, Breitbart News reported. A homeless man allegedly pushed a woman in front of an oncoming train, resulting in her death. While the homeless man was perp-walked out of the Midtown South NYPD precinct later in the day, he admitted to reporters that he pushed the woman and declared himself “God.”