A young Alabama nurse who had recently given birth to her second child was shot and killed in a random attack after finishing her shift. Ada Doss, 27, was allegedly shot dead by 41-year-old Matthew James Taylor on Tuesday afternoon in the parking lot of DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa.
Details of the Incident
Authorities said Taylor had been dropped off at the hospital earlier in the day as he requested help for an unreported reason, but he never entered the medical facility. Taylor loitered on the hospital campus for several hours, and allegedly tried to rob another woman earlier in the afternoon by waving a handgun at her and telling her to get out of her car. Police said the woman was able to drive away, and a short time later Taylor allegedly approached Doss as she was walking to her car at the end of her shift. Taylor allegedly tried to take Doss's purse, and shot her during the ensuing confrontation. Authorities said Doss died at the scene, while Taylor allegedly went through her purse and tried to steal her car.
Victim's Background
The tragedy comes just weeks after Doss welcomed her second child, and she shared a smiling family selfie to her Facebook account with her baby, husband and young daughter. Doss, a mother-of-two, had just finished her shift at the hospital when she was approached at her car and shot dead. A former DCH employee told local media that Doss worked at the hospital for almost two years.
Suspect Apprehended
Tuscaloosa police said they found Taylor still armed and only feet away from Doss's body when he was taken into custody. The suspect was showing signs of mental illness at the time, police said. Authorities added that they do not believe there is any connection between Taylor and Doss, and the pair had never met before he allegedly shot her at random in the parking lot. Taylor is now facing capital murder charges.
Hospital Response and Security Concerns
Doss's hospital said that staff were heartbroken by her death, writing in a statement: 'We are all grieving today. Ada Doss was a member of our DCH family. This tragic crime was the result of a mental health crisis that could have taken place anywhere, but regretfully, it took place in our parking lot. An unhealthy man did a horrific thing, and I know we all have fear and anxiety right now. We have heightened security measures to ensure all of our employees feel safe.'
A former DCH employee, who did not give their name, told CBS42 that safety at the parking lot had been a concern of hers for some time, and argued that additional security could have prevented the tragedy. 'I feel as though they should put like a security booth out there,' the former employee said. 'If it was gated in, or whatever, it would be hard for someone else to just come in from the outside and get in.' Another worker added that they also felt security should be in place given that many people with mental health issues visit hospitals, as 'security needs to be better, and that’s not just DCH, that’s healthcare wise everywhere, and parking in general should be a top priority for employees.'
The outlet reported that Tuscaloosa Police also handled a separate robbery incident at the hospital just a week before Doss's death. In response to security concerns, the hospital said in a statement: 'We have heightened security measures to ensure all of our employees feel safe – escorts to cars, police presence, enhanced lights, shuttle services and we will continue to look for ways to make sure our caregivers and patients feel safe at DCH.'
