Family members have identified the nursing assistant who police say was shot dead by a co-worker wearing body armor over his scrubs, and brandishing an assault-style rifle, at a Philadelphia hospital as a married father who worked two jobs to support his three children.
Anrae James, a 43-year-old certified nursing assistant at Jefferson University Hospital, was killed when a nurse at the facility, identified by the authority as 55-year-old Stacey Hayes, opened fire early Monday morning.
Hayes allegedly fled the scene in a U-Haul truck and later engaged police in a gun battle near a school, leaving two officers wounded.
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Anrae James, 43, was shot dead while working as a nursing assistant at Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. James is picture with his wife, right
A nurse wearing scrubs and body armor shot and killed a co-worker at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (pictured) just after midnight Monday
On Tuesday, Hayes, who was shot and injured by the police, was charged with murder, attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, assault on law enforcement, firearms crimes and related offenses in the rampage.
Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Frank Vanore told The Philadelphia Inquirer that it's unclear whether Hayes was supposed to have been working at the time, but detectives believe he used an employee entrance. Investigators are still trying to find out why he might have targeted his co-worker.
'We have not discovered any hostility between them, or any issues that we can point out,' Vanore said.
Court records obtained by NBC10 indicate that Hayes had recently filed a motion asking a judge to compel the Philadelphia police to return his arsenal of firearms to him, which had been previously seized for an unspecified reason.
Hayes wrote in his petition: 'because the property was purchased legally by me, I didn’t commit any crime and I feel like the property should be returned to me because I am not a threat to anyone. I just want to be able to protect myself and my family if needed.'
In June, police were ordered by the judge to return a 12-gauge shotgun with 12 rounds, a Panther AR-15 rifle and a Smith & Wesson pistol with three magazines and 39 rounds to Hayes.
The Philadelphia police declined on Wednesday to say why they had taken the guns away from Hayes, referring DailyMail.com to the District Attorney's Office.
DailyMail,com reached out to DA Larry Krasner's officer seeking comment and was awaiting a reply.
James was described as a family man who worked as a nurse and a part-time barber to support his wife, Barbara, their two daughters, aged 16 and one, and an 11-year-old son.
'He was an asset to society, raising up a good family,' Anrae's father, William James, told Action News. 'He was a good man. And for him to go out like that from someone like that is heartbreaking,'
Surveillance video, which has not been released to the public, reportedly showed Hayes ambush James from behind and open fire on him as the victim sat at his work station.
Hayes allegedly kept firing on James as he tried to flee for his life.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw (pictured) said officers cornered the shooter after he fled in a U Haul, and they got into a shootout. Two officers were injured with non-life threatening injuries
Cops cornered the shooter in the city's Parkside section after he fled the Hospital in a U-Haul box truck. Armed with
