Nurse stabbed at Mission Community Hospital; suspect still at large

Authorities are investigating reports of a stabbing inside of Mission Community Hospital in Panorama City. 

According to Los Angeles Police Department, officers were dispatched to the scene of the stabbing at around 6:50 p.m., where one person was said to be suffering from a stab wound, stemming from an incident that occurred inside of the hospital located on Roscoe Boulevard.

They said that a suspect, only identified as a male, fled from the scene. They said he was around 5-feet, 7-inches tall, weighing around 140 pounds. He was wearing a black hat, a black hooded sweatshirt, glasses and a backpack and was reportedly between 40 and 50-years-old. 

The stabbing victim, reportedly a 49-year-old man who works at the hospital as a nurse, was rushed to a separate hospital, as Mission Community Hospital does not traditionally operate as a trauma center. 

According to coworkers he was on his way into work when he was stabbed several times. Though the wounds are critical, he is expected to survive.

The suspect, on the other hand, was not a patient, and authorities and hospital staff alike are unsure why they were on the property. 

Mission Community Hospital issued a statement following the incident, which read: 

"At approximately 7:00 p.m. today, a Mission Community Hospital employee was assaulted by an unknown individual. The employee was transferred in stable condition to another facility. The Los Angeles Police Department remains on site, continuing its investigation into the incident after completing its search to ensure the safety of the hospital campus. The Mission Community Hospital Family will continue to monitor the condition of its employee."

Other employees of the hospital called the incident unsettling. 

"Everybody jumped in, brought him inside and took him someplace to take care of him," said Dr. James Higgins, a cardiologist at the hospital. "It's just scary, it's a really sad thing that it's gonna happen at a place where you're really trying to help people and save them. Instead, it's almost like the opposite. ... Just shows you sometimes what's going on in the world."

Throughout the day Tuesday there was a noted increase in police on hand, and hospital security was increased as employees are walked to and from their vehicles by security guards. 

According to one patient, hospital staff directed them to stay in their rooms in the moments after the stabbing occurred. 

"They told us that we were on lockdown and that they don't know exactly what was happening," said Benjamin Malmeth, who stayed at the hospital overnight.