麻豆传媒

Tragedy unfolded in New Jersey's healthcare community this week.

On Monday, a contract nurse, later identified as 31-year-old Nicholas Pagano of West Deptford, entered a break room at Hackensack University Medical Center, where he allegedly and struck her with a wrench. Pagano subsequently fled the hospital, and was wanted on charges of attempted murder, aggravated arson, aggravated assault, and unlawful weapons possession, .

However, on Tuesday, the prosecutor's office announced that Pagano had been found dead from a self-inflected gunshot wound in Waterford Township.

The victim, whose identity is being withheld, suffered third-degree burns over her upper body, face, and hands, as well as a laceration to her head that required stitches, the prosecutor's office said in a statement. She was initially treated in the emergency room at Hackensack University Medical Center, and was later transported to another medical facility, where she remains in stable condition.

Sources familiar with the investigation that one weapon used in Monday's attack appeared to be a culinary torch. And Pagano's neighbors told NBC Philadelphia that the contract nurse had been acting erratically recently, including running around in a bathrobe, cursing, screaming, and doing karate in their parking lot.

Pagano, who was a registered nurse, was first licensed in September 2016 and had worked at two other organizations before his assignment in mid-November at Hackensack University Medical Center, part of the Hackensack Meridian Health network.

Hackensack Meridian Health said in an initial statement that there were no witnesses to Monday's attack, and that police did not yet have a motive. The health system noted that a contract nurse is not employed full time at one place and typically travels to different locations to provide assistance during shortages.

As for the victim, the health system said in its statement that she is a Hackensack University Medical Center team member.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family," the statement read. "Hackensack Meridian Health strongly condemns any act of violence."

The health system further noted that it had been cooperating fully with the Hackensack Police Department and the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office in their investigation, and that additional security had been stationed throughout the Hackensack campus.

"A complete and full compliance audit was conducted by the vendor that provides contracted agency staff to the network, including state and county background checks, drug screening and license review, which is standard practice at hospitals throughout the nation," Hackensack Meridian Health said. "As a result of this complete and full compliance, this contracted agency nurse was cleared to work."

"Violence will not be tolerated in our network.," the health system added. "Our doctors, nurses and teams are true heroes and deserve our respect. The safety of our patients and our team members is Hackensack Meridian Health's highest priority."

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