Sandra Shells Wiki – Sandra Shells Biography
Sandra Shells, 70, was attacked by a homeless man at about 5.15 a.m. on Thursday near Vignes Street and Cesar Chavez Avenue, half a mile away from Union Station, while she was waiting to catch a bus to her job at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Tragically, she succumbed to her injuries at the same medical facility on Sunday.
Later that same day, police arrested Kerry Bell, a 48-year-old homeless man who was found sleeping not far away from the bus station. Bell allegedly punched Shells in the head, leading the nurse to hit her head on the ground, likely striking it against the concrete. As a result of her fall, Shell suffered a fractured skull.
Bell was arrested without incident on suspicion of assault, but his charge will be updated to suspicion of murder, according to police. No motive for the unprovoked attack has been revealed. Bell is being held on $2million bail, according to jail records.
Sandra Shells Age
Sandra Shells was 70 years old.
Sandra Shells Cause of Death
Sandra Shells, who was believed to be in her 60s or 70s, worked at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, according to the Los Angeles Times. The hospital remembered Shells as a tireless worker who “will always be remembered as a ‘kind, compassionate and generous nurse.'”
The attack occurred shortly after 5 a.m. at a bus stop on East Chavez Avenue, Fox 11 reported. The nurse was reportedly hit in the head and fell to the ground. The station reported that she was rushed to the same hospital where she worked to undergo brain surgery.
Kerry Bell, 48, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, the Times reported. ABC 7 reported that Bell was caught sleeping near the scene of the attack. The newspaper, citing police, said his bail was set at $2 million.
Bell has one prior arrest in Los Angeles, but multiple prior arrests in several other states, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore shared on Twitter that Shells’ death was “a senseless and tragic murder directly related to the failure of this nation’s mental health resources.” We can and must do better. This victim lived her life for others. We are falling short.
“We are deeply saddened by this news,” Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center officials said in a statement. ‘Sandra Shells will always be remembered for her compassionate care and unparalleled dedication to her patients and her community throughout her 38-year career at LAC + USC.’
‘Sandra worked tirelessly and selflessly to keep her patients safe and healthy and she will always be remembered as a kind, compassionate and generous nurse with a helpful and caring nature that was a favorite of hers amongst colleagues and patients. “There will never be enough words to express our gratitude for her tremendous work and dedication,” the statement added.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger has called for a full investigation into the attack, arguing that essential workers already working in difficult conditions during the pandemic deserve a “safer and more stable environment.”
“Learning from this attack is both shocking and heartbreaking,” Barger said in a statement. “I ask for a full investigation into what caused the attack and any information that can be used to prevent this from happening again.
“It is unacceptable that Metro bus passengers are susceptible to this type of violence. Our essential workers, like this county nurse, often take public transportation at unconventional hours and can become easy prey for violent actors,” said Barger. Los Angeles, like many cities across the country, has seen an alarming rise in violent crime in the past two years.
Homicides in the City of Angeles are up 52 percent last year from 2019, and shooting incidents are up 59 percent, according to LAPD data. The city has also suffered a shocking wave of home burglaries and organized attacks on retailers. Jacqueline Avant, the 81-year-old wife of famed music producer Clarence Avant, became the highest-profile robbery victim when she was shot and killed at her $2.7 million Beverly Hills mansion in December.