In the early hours of October 4, 2021, Anrae James, a 43-year-old male certified nursing assistant, was at his workstation on the ninth floor of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. His shift was tragically cut short when a coworker, 55-year-old Stacey Hayes, entered the hospital heavily armed. Hayes, who was off-duty at the time, was wearing scrubs and body armor, and carrying multiple weapons, including an AR-15-style rifle.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured Hayes walking up behind the unsuspecting James and opening fire. As James attempted to flee for his life, Hayes pursued him down a hallway and shot him again, this time in the head.
Following the deadly assault, Hayes fled the hospital in a U-Haul truck, sparking a manhunt. About an hour later, police located him in the city's Parkside section. When confronted, Hayes engaged in a fierce gun battle with officers, firing dozens of rounds from his rifle. Two police officers were wounded in the shootout before Hayes was shot, incapacitated, and taken into custody. The investigation that followed revealed that while a motive was not immediately clear, authorities believed James had been specifically targeted by his coworker. A subsequent lawsuit filed by James's family alleged there had been a personal conflict between the two men and that systemic security failures at the hospital allowed the tragedy to occur.
The aftermath of the violent incident saw the community mourning the loss of a devoted family man. Anrae James was remembered by his loved ones as a hardworking father of three who also worked as a part-time barber to provide for his family. Stacey Hayes faced the full force of the law for his actions. He was charged with a host of crimes, including murder for the death of Anrae James and four counts of attempted murder for firing at the police officers. Ultimately, Hayes pleaded guilty to the murder of his coworker and the attempted murder charges. For his crimes, he was sentenced to serve 35 to 70 years in prison.
