Stabbed, killed in a hospital parking garage at the end of her shift

[grady]

I figured this was a domestic when I heard about it, and that has proven true. Regardless, the killing in broad daylight, whether by one you know or not, illustrates the need to be armed anytime and everywhere.

This occurred Tuesday afternoon in a very good neighborhood in a St. Louis suburb.

Facts: Couple going through a divorce, wife gets restraining order against husband.

Wife works at a hospital. Leaves work after her shift ends at 4:30 pm. She is found dead next to her car in the parking garage before 5 p.m. Emergency workers initially thought she had passed out from the heat.

Hours after she died, authorities admitted they still didn't know how she died. Eventually it was determined she had been stabbed over a dozen times. They didn't say, but I wonder if the murder weapon was something like an ice pick which would leave little evidence of being stabbed.

Husband reportedly confessed to killing her, and he is in custody.

As might be expected, the hospital is almost certainly a no-carry zone. So if she was confronted before she made it to her vehicle, which appears is what happened, then legally she was unable to be armed. I'm sure the fact that she was in compliance with the law is a relief to... well, no one other than her murderer.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...47f59aee3.html

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[javahawk]

Horrible, horrible. My mother is a nurse, used to work the night shift. Lots of stuff happened in that garage across from the hospital, and because its on campus you cant carry either =/

[WhoWeBePart1]

This sort of incident happened in Maine a few months ago. The story pretty much follows as above. The woman had a restraining order against the man but he still showed up and stabbed her. Thankfully 5 very brave women did witness the attack and stopped him before he could kill her. Restraining orders do nothing to stop someone bent on taking someone's life.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/142984.html

Wolk was arrested Wednesday morning after five female Husson students subdued him about 7:40 a.m. The victim was treated for stab wounds to a leg and her neck at St. Joseph Hospital shortly after the stabbing and released.

[Bark'n]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't CREVE COEUR supposed to be a little upper scale part of town? Domestic situation or not, it just goes to show you it can happen anywhere at anytime to anyone!

Stay armed!

[grady]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't CREVE COEUR supposed to be a little upper scale part of town?

Absolutely correct. Many of the prestigious private schools for the St. Louis rich are near Creve Coeur.

[F350]

As might be expected, the hospital is almost certainly a no-carry zone. So if she was confronted before she made it to her vehicle, which appears is what happened, then legally she was unable to be armed. I'm sure the fact that she was in compliance with the law is a relief to... well, no one other than her murderer.

grady-

Hospitals are one of the 17 victim disarmament zones specified in the Missouri CCW law.

[grady]

grady-

Hospitals are one of the 17 victim disarmament zones specified in the Missouri CCW law.

Yeh, I forgot.

But I'll quote the part of the law just after the list of 17:

... it is not a crime...

to carry there. You can of course be fired if you carry against your employer's wishes, but "it is not a crime".

[Bark'n]

Yeh, I forgot.

But I'll quote the part of the law just after the list of 17:

to carry there. You can of course be fired if you carry against your employer's wishes, but "it is not a crime".

You gotta love that aspect of Missouri law! "Not a criminal act!" I love those words.

[Deuce130]

Just horrible, I hope they didn't have kids. Ladies, you can see the effectiveness of restraining orders. If you (or anyone, even men) feel that a restraining order is necessary, then it follows that other steps should be taken as well. Carry when you can. Heightened awareness, buddy system, pattern of life changes, security systems, self-defense classes, OC spray at thre ready when you can't carry, self-defense type key chains, whistles, cell phones, etc. Some simple precautions MAY have saved this woman's life that particular day. Sad.

[SamRudolph]

How did they not know she was stabbed to death? The blood leaking out would be a good indication to me, but then, I'm not an expert or anything.

[GM]

Such a horrible story. Antis and their laws do not protect the law-abiding citizens; they protect the BGs

[tbroy]

As a Security Officer at a Level 1 Trauma Center, I see my fair share of violence on a daily basis. And we all know that working in the medical field is one the most dangerous jobs in America. In MI, a hospital is a "pistol free zone". But, the parking area is not. That said, a visitor can leave his/her weapon in the vehicle prior to entering. But, the administration has made it a terminateable offence for an employee to have a firearm in your vehicle. It troubles me when a man cannot cope with the loss of his marriage, and choose's to take her out. Like we all say, a PPO is only as good as the paper it's written on.

[DaveH]

How did they not know she was stabbed to death? The blood leaking out would be a good indication to me, but then, I'm not an expert or anything.

FWIIW -- Years ago, ice-pick stabbings were more common and many result in little or no external bleeding -- particularly in some areas of the lower abdomen or lungs.

The skin often closes tightly around the ice-pick and then closes again when it's removed, which can trap blood within the body. Internal bleeding is just as dangerous as external bleeding. If the blood has somewhere to pool, there may not be enough pressure at the point of entrance to create much external bleeding.

[Bark'n]

Just horrible, I hope they didn't have kids. Ladies, you can see the effectiveness of restraining orders. If you (or anyone, even men) feel that a restraining order is necessary, then it follows that other steps should be taken as well. Carry when you can. Heightened awareness, buddy system, pattern of life changes, security systems, self-defense classes, OC spray at thre ready when you can't carry, self-defense type key chains, whistles, cell phones, etc. Some simple precautions MAY have saved this woman's life that particular day. Sad.

Very important point! Well done. Too many people rely on the piece of paper we call a "restraining order" as if it's some magic document they can wave around like some sort if shield.

I feel it is even worse when the document is referred to as a "protection order." Wow! Come on folks, it's only a piece of paper. It is no more than a documentation device which puts someone on notice that the LEO's will arrest a person for violation of. Well guess what? Yes, I've seen LEO's fail to arrest on violations of "protection orders." I'm not an LEO and I'm not an attorney, so I don't know all the nuances or particulars surrounding those events, however, I have seen people not get arrested when protection orders were in place.

Don't get me wrong, "restraining orders" and "orders of protection" have their place, and I'm all for having one sworn out when it's appropriate to do so. However, as Duce130 aptly points out, if it's serious enough to have a protection order, then you must take other steps to ensure your protection.

You are going to have to be proactive and do what is necessary to protect yourself. That means you may have to temporarily change your lifestyle or living habits. You may have to utilize friends to take you places and limit the times you are alone. You may need to avail yourself of the proper weapons to allow you to protect yourself such as firearms, OC spray, and any other defensive tools in order to protect yourself from what the "restraining order" can't protect you from, and that is the actual assault from the person who is hell bent on causing you harm regardless of what court documents you possess which states they are gonna be arrested if they violate it.

[DaveH]

Very important point! Well done. Too many people rely on the piece of paper we call a "restraining order" as if it's some magic document they can wave around like some sort if shield.

FWIIW, I long supported the idea that an expedited or temporary CHP should be made available to anyone who can legally posses a firearm and who get an "order" issued to "protect" him/her.

Or maybe, just make a "restraining order" or "protection order" allow carry w/o additional paperwork, if one can legally posses a firearm.

Hey they revoke the CHP on the person who is served the "order." Why not go the next logical step?