May 8, 2024 — To get into libraries, Department of Motor Vehicle offices, hospitals, and many other locations in cities across New York, you must first walk through metal detectors.
If that had been the case at Buffalo Psychiatric Center’s Strozzi building on April 3, three staff members, including one PEF member, may not have been stabbed multiple times in a premeditated, unprovoked attack by a patient.
PEF member Edward Gordon, a residential program manager at the facility, suffered stab wounds to his abdomen and back, as well as a laceration to his neck, when Calvin Haskins, 34, walked freely into Buffalo PC’s Soccer residence carrying multiple knives.
“He had a knife in each hand, and he started wielding his fists, stabbing people,” said PEF Region 1 Coordinator Michele Iorfida. “Then he turned and walked out. He sat on the curb. He could have gone in the next building, where there is only one unarmed guard. They are allowed to walk in that building with anything.”
PEF jumps into action immediately
PEF President Wayne Spence took the earliest flight to Buffalo when he heard the news.
“They have a long recovery ahead of them,” said President Spence, who met with the victims, families, and members of PEF Division 180 at the Buffalo Psychiatric Center (BPC). “Ed had two extensive surgeries and was just moved out of the ICU.”
RELATED STORY: How you can help the Gordon family
Spence credits several PEF staff with medical training who rendered life-saving aid to the victims while waiting for emergency medical crews.
“They are heroes and they saved lives that day,” he said.
Division 180 Council Leader Vincent Cicatello said his members are dealing with grief, concern, and fear in the aftermath of the attack, and they are grateful for President Spence’s immediate action.
“One of our members was involved in a brutal attack,” Cicatello said. “There is a lot of fear and a lot of concern. Everybody is concerned for the Gordon family; they are beloved members. This hit our PEF family really hard.
“It really says something that within an hour President Spence is booking a flight to come to Buffalo,” he continued. “That tells myself and my Division how much PEF cares. I really sense a lot of unity shined through in the wake of this tragedy.”
Trouble already on the horizon
President Spence said signs of trouble were apparent before the attack.
“He started decompensating,” Spence said of Haskins. “He was using drugs and had to be given Narcan, so he obviously overdosed. That alone should have told them he needed a higher level of care. There were signs he was not doing well and there were recommendations from professional staff to management that he really needed help. They ignored it.”
An OMH multi-disciplinary committee documented concerns about Haskins’ mental state in case notes.
“Even his mom saw it,” President Spence said. “She said he was hearing voices. Management didn’t listen to the concerns of staff.”
Iorfida concurred, saying there appears to have been a complete lack of disrespect for safety and the clinical viewpoints of staff.
“Clinicians would make professional recommendations for a client to stay inpatient or maybe return to inpatient based on decompensation, and management would override that and tell them the client had been there long enough,” she said. “President Spence, myself, and other leaders are being very firm and very adamant about the safety of our members. We can’t wait to go through legislation. Something must happen today.”
Haskins was found mentally incompetent to stand trial after stabbing a man 17 times in 2013. He began treatment as an inpatient, but as his condition improved, his care level stepped down and he could come and go from the facility.
He is not the only client who arrives at BPC as the result of a criminal case.
“This can be a dangerous population and we’re not properly protected,” said Cicatello. “The majority of the mentally ill are good people, but there are always going to be a percentage of dangerous patients. We need safety measures to protect our members and other patients.”
Previous incidents show need for change
Incidents at Buffalo PC are notably higher than other OMH facilities, according to a state Department of Civil Service Annual Report of NYS Government Employees’ Workers’ Compensation Claims.
Buffalo PC had 64 incidents in 2022-2023, and was on the list of worksites that were more than 25% above the average incident rate for all employees in NYS agencies. The facility experienced 1,746 lost workdays due to work-related incidents and more than $1.6 million in workers’ compensation costs in 2022-2023. OMH ranks consistently in the top four state agencies with the highest injury rates and costs.
Data compiled by PEF Health and Safety indicates that PEF titles Psychiatric Nurse 2 and 3 and other direct care staff in OMH experience more than 25% above the average incident rate for titles with at least 50 full-time equivalents.
Workplace violence and assaults continue to be listed on the report as significant causes of work-related injuries.
Despite those statistics, there has been pushback in the mental health field when the idea of metal detectors is floated.
“In some places, they have been removed because of optics,” said President Spence. “It makes no sense. Metal detectors can be a deterrent. And when police are called and a person is charged, it helps our members get these people into a higher care setting.”
Spence credited Gov. Kathy Hochul with allowing PEF access to members at Buffalo PC, without the presence of management, so members could speak freely with union leaders and staff. Some of them shared incidents PEF didn’t know about and how they felt they were being disregarded. President Spence said everyone agreed on the main issue: They need better protection.
Cicatello said in addition to metal detectors installed at doors, ideas floated included use of hand-held metal detecting wands and installation of lock boxes in clinic areas to keep patients’ personal belongings confined while they visit staff.
“Division 180 is working with PEF Health and Safety and leadership to share our thoughts and concerns,” he said. “One safety officer doesn’t suffice at locations with people in and out all day and going to multiple floors.”
The bottom line: “Nobody should go to work and leave less healthy than when they showed up,” Cicatello said.
As for the assailant, Haskins was arrested without incident and remanded pending the results of a forensic examination. If convicted of the highest charge, he faces a maximum sentence of 75 years in prison.