TEWKSBURY — On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at approximately 7:58 a.m., Tewksbury police responded to Tewksbury State Hospital following reports of an aggressive patient.
According to Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus, when officers arrived on scene, they observed a 59-year-old man who had been secured in a chair by hospital staff.
“A preliminary investigation determined that the patient was acting erratically and had stood in a fighting stance when staff approached,” Chief Columbus said in a statement. “The patient then struck a staff member in the face.”
It took multiple staff members to restrain the patient, and medication was administered before officers arrived on scene.
“The patient is known to police,” Chief Columbus said. “Tewksbury police had previously responded to the hospital for a different incident involving the 59-year-old man, where he reportedly threatened staff.”
The patient was issued a summons to appear in Lowell District Court on a charge of assault and battery on a public employee.
Chief Columbus said the incident remains under investigation by the Tewksbury Police Department.