A 27-year-old nurse, wife, and mother of two was shot and killed in the parking lot of an Alabama hospital on Tuesday afternoon, in what police are describing as a robbery committed by a man who’d been dropped off at the hospital hours before.
According to authorities, 41-year-old Mathew James Taylor was taken to DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa on Tuesday morning after requesting help with his mental health. Instead of entering the facility, Taylor allegedly loitered in the parking lot for several hours before targeting a woman insider her car by displaying a handgun and ordering her out of her vehicle. Instead of complying, the woman sped away. Soon after, Taylor allegedly spotted his next victim.
Approximately 10 to 15 minutes later, a nurse at DCH, identified as 27-year-old Ada Doss, was walking to her car during shift change when police said she was approached by Taylor, who once again was brandishing a hand gun.
Authorities said Taylor tried to take Doss’ purse and during that interaction, Taylor shot Doss once and she died. According to authorities, Taylor then went through Doss’ purse, took her keys and tried to take her car.
Tuscaloosa Police responded to the scene and found Taylor still armed and only feet away from the scene. Authorities say based on conversations with him, Taylor showed signs of mental illness.
Taylor has been charged with capital murder since the crime occurred during a robbery. He was committed to the county jail with no bond.
Authorities said Taylor has very limited criminal history and they are working to learn how or why Taylor had a hand gun.
According to the DCH employee handbook, “to the extent permitted by law, employees and visitors are prohibited from carrying weapons onto DCH premises.”
That didn’t prevent Taylor from allegedly bringing a handgun onto the hospital grounds, but the policy would have stopped Doss from carrying a firearm for her personal protection if she wanted to do so. Even if she’d wanted to leave a pistol in her locked vehicle, that would have been grounds for disciplinary action, if not outright termination.
The hospital boasts that it has metal detectors at the entrance to the emergency room “in an effort to ensure the safety of our staff, patients and all who visit.” Unfortunately, violent individuals can and will find a way to get around security measures, including targeting individuals outside of any secure space.
I’m not blaming the hospital for Doss’s death. I have no idea if she was a legal gun owner, much less if she would have chosen to carry a firearm with her to work if she had the opportunity. But this tragedy should also be a teachable moment for hospital executives. No matter what security precautions they have inside the building, it’s virtually impossible for them to guarantee that no bad actor will bring a weapon onto the hospital campus.
Given that reality, the hospital really should have a way for employees (and preferably visitors as well) to securely store their firearms inside the facility. I can understand if management doesn’t want staffers walking around with a gun on their hip while they’re on the clock, but they should at least be able to protect themselves to and from work, including in the hospital parking lot. A violent robbery or carjacking might not be commonplace on the campus, but we now know that it can happen despite the prohibition on firearms on the hospital property.
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