LA Nurse Dies at the Same Hospital Where She Worked After Being Attacked at Bus Stop

A 70-year-old nurse with a long career under her belt was killed in a random attack at a Los Angeles bus stop.

Sandra Shells was hit in the face while waiting for a bus in downtown Los Angeles around 5:15 a.m.According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the incident occurred on Thursday.

According to police, shells fell to the ground, causing a fractured skull.
She died on Sunday at a hospital.

Kerry Bell, a transient, was apprehended about 90 minutes after the assault, according to police. Officers discovered him asleep “a short distance away from the incident,”

Police said “Bell struck the victim without provocation and for no reason.” Bell does not have a court date listed.

Shells was a dedicated nurse who worked at LAC+USC Medical Center for 38 years, according to the hospital.

“She went above and beyond for every patient. Her energy, her empathy, her work ethic, were exemplary,” Dr. Craig Torres-Ness, an emergency care physician at LAC+USC, told ABC News. “She embodied what LAC+USC stands for and served her community honorably.”

He said young nurses try to “emulate the type of nurse, the type of person, she was.”

“We are heartbroken,” he continued. “She made people around her better and that will be her legacy.”

The hospital said in a statement, “Sandra Shells will forever be remembered for her compassionate care and unmatched dedication to her patients and her community.”

“Sandra worked tirelessly and selflessly to keep her patients safe and healthy,” the hospital said. “There will never be enough words to express our gratitude for her tremendous work and dedication.”

In a tweet, LAPD Chief Michel Moore described the shooting as a “tragic and senseless murder directly tied to the failure of this Nation’s mental health resources.”

“We can and must do better,” Moore said. “This victim lived her life for others. We are falling short.”

Kathryn Barger, the supervisor for Los Angeles County, tweeted that she is “calling for a full investigation into the assault.”

“It’s unacceptable for bus riders to be susceptible to this type of violence,” she said. “Our essential workers and the public at large deserve better.”