Philadelphia Nursing Assistant Shot Dead By Coworker Who Was Once His Friend, Officials Say
A family is grieving the death of Philadelphia nursing assistant Anrae James, 43, a husband and father of three children, who was gunned down Monday (Oct. 4) allegedly by a coworker at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Local station WPVI reported that the suspect, Stacey Hayes, drove to the hospital in a U-Haul truck. He allegedly walked up behind James, who was seated at a workstation, and began shooting. Hayes continued firing even when James tried to run away.
Hayes fled the scene in the truck, according to CBS Philadelphia. Shortly after, the police tracked him down in West Philadelphia at about 1:30 a.m.
Reportedly equipped with body armor and several weapons, Hayes, 55, engaged in a shootout with officers, injuring two of them before the police shot him and took him into custody.
Hayes and James knew each other and were friends, the assistant district attorney stated, according to CBS Philadelphia. The motive for the shooting was unknown.
James’ father, William James, told WPVI that his son was “raising up a good family.”
"(He) participated in sports with his 11-year-old son, took his daughter back and forth to work and had two jobs. He was a good man. And for him to go out like that from someone like that is heartbreaking," James said.
A GoFundMe page identified James’ children as Breyanna, 16, Blair, 11, and 1-year-old Brielle.
“We are devastated. He will not see our kids graduate school, get married or have children, he should be here to show Blair how to be a good man, show our girls what real love looks like,” the fundraising page said.
It continued: “He was the most loving husband, father, son, brother, cousin, nephew and friend. Our family is broken forever.
The fundraising campaign was set up to help support James’ three children.
