Man Charged With Assault, Battery In Tewksbury Hospital Incident, Police Say

TEWKSBURY, MA — A man was charged with assault and battery following an incident at Tewksbury State Hospital on Tuesday, according to police.

Police responded to a report of an aggressive patient at the hospital at 7:58 a.m.

Officers arrived to find that a 59-year-old man had been secured in a chair by hospital staff.

A preliminary investigation found that "the patient was acting erratically, and had stood in a fighting stance when staff approached," according to police.

The man then hit a staff member in the face. Multiple staff members had to restrain the patient. Staff gave the patient medicine before officers arrived.

Police said they had previously responded to the hospital for a different incident involving the same man who had reportedly threatened staff.

The patient, who police did not name, will appear in Lowell District Court on a charge of assault and battery on a public employee.

The incident remains under investigation.