By MN Crime Watch, June 1, 2019

A 31-year-old man has been charged for an April assault on a nurse at Unity Hospital in Fridley.

Charging documents say that on April 18, 2019, Fridley Police were called to the locked psychiatric ward at Unity Hospital regarding an assaultive patient, identified as Dek Abdi Ali. The responding officer spoke with a nurse on duty and learned that she went to Ali’s room to take away a sharp object he had. Ali refused to remove his arm from behind his back and began walking toward the nurse.

Per hospital policy, the nurse ran to the nurse’s station, but before she was able to enter the locked secure zone, Ali caught up to her and hit her with an open hand to the left side of her temple, forehead area, leaving redness and a scratch. The nurse reported being stunned by the slap and had ringing in her ears, the complaint said.

Ali, of Faribault, has been charged with one count of felony fourth-degree assault of a physician, nurse or health care provider, and one count of misdemeanor fifth-degree assault. Under Minnesota law fourth-degree assault is charged when a person assaults an individual within certain classifications such as peace officers, correctional workers, paramedics or health care providers. If convicted under that charge, Ali could face up to two years in prison. Ali is scheduled to make a first court appearance on June 27.

Follow the case # 02-CR-19-3504.