Parkland Hospital nurse wants more done weeks after attack hospital parking lot
A Dallas nurse traumatized by a robbery at gunpoint weeks ago says she is still waiting for answers as to why no arrests have been made.
Mary Ball says as she parked in the employee lot of Parkland Hospital, three men attacked and stole her purse, wallet, keys and her car. Two weeks later. no arrests have been made even though police know the identities of two of the three alleged suspects.
Ball had her sense of security shattered the evening of April 7 as she pulled into the employee parking lot.
“Not only was I scared to death that night and had a gun pointed at me and my car stolen and my personal belongings and all of my sense of security, I have literally been on the phone daily for hours trying to get answers,” the nurse said.
Ball’s case is now in the hands of the Dallas County Hospital Police Department since the incident happened on hospital property. They say they’re working with collaboratively with Dallas police.
DPD officers responded when the suspects crashed Ball’s car the next day in Southeast Oak Cliff. Two passengers were still on scene when Dallas police arrived. They say they spoke to the suspects and forwarded the information to Parkland to investigate, but no arrests were made. A gun was recovered from the vehicle.
“It’s turned my life so upside down, including my family and my loved ones because they are all scared for me,” Ball said. “I’m grateful it wasn’t worse, but no one should ever have to live like this.”
In a newly released statement, Parkland says safety is a primary concern and has since added officers patrolling the lot 24/7 with their lights on and other security measures.
Ball says she loves her job and still loves Parkland, but is hearing from other nurses who don’t feel safe.
“I’m fearful for our coworkers. I’m fearful for our patients,” she said. “I genuinely believe if it wasn’t me that night it would have been someone else. And it’s kind of just a matter of time.”
Ball says police did have her do a photo lineup but doesn’t know the results. She expressed concerns that the increased security was a short term fix, but Parkland says it is permanent.