Nurses Group Calls for More Security, Staffing at VA Clinics After Deadly Shooting

National Nurses United says steps like metal detectors and addressing understaffing could help prevent workplace violence and improve care for veterans.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 12:09am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a gun magazine or spent shell casing, lit dramatically with a harsh flash against a dark background, conceptually representing the violence and investigation surrounding the deadly shooting at a VA clinic.The deadly shooting at a Georgia VA clinic has renewed calls for increased security and staffing measures to protect healthcare workers and vulnerable veterans.Atlanta Today

A national nurses union is calling for increased security and staffing at Veterans Affairs facilities after a deadly shooting at a VA clinic in Jasper, Georgia. The group says more measures like metal detectors and addressing severe understaffing could help reduce the risk of workplace violence and improve care for veterans seeking mental health services.

Why it matters

The shooting at the Jasper VA clinic, which left a social worker dead, has renewed concerns about safety and staffing issues at VA facilities that serve vulnerable veterans, especially those seeking mental health support.

The details

Investigators said the shooter, Lawrence Michels, walked into the Jasper clinic for a mental health evaluation before opening fire and killing social worker Nic Crews. The nurses union argues that if there had been a metal detector, the gun would not have made it into the clinic, and two lives could have been saved. The union also criticized staffing reductions at the VA, saying they impact nurses' ability to properly address patients' needs.

  • The shooting occurred at the VA clinic in Jasper, Georgia on an unspecified date.
  • The nurses union made its calls for increased security and staffing following the Jasper shooting.

The players

National Nurses United

A national nurses union that is calling for more security measures and staffing at VA facilities to help prevent workplace violence and improve care for veterans.

Lawrence Michels

The shooter who walked into the Jasper VA clinic for a mental health evaluation before opening fire and killing social worker Nic Crews.

Nic Crews

The social worker who was killed in the shooting at the Jasper VA clinic.

Ed Anderson

A veteran who says the VA's mental health system saved his life.

Florence Uzuegbunam

A nurse practitioner who argues that a metal detector could have prevented the Jasper shooting.

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What they’re saying

“If there was a metal detector, the gun wouldn't make it into the Pickens VA clinic and we would have saved two people, the veteran and Nic.”

— Florence Uzuegbunam, Nurse Practitioner

“I was already on a downward spiral... to the point that I can say with no shame in my voice that the VA mental health system saved my life.”

— Ed Anderson, Veteran

“No one can know what was going on in the perpetrator's mind, but I do think when you look at the delays in getting mental health, that might have been a contributing factor.”

— Ed Anderson, Veteran

“Keep us safe, minimally staff the VA, give us resources so we can be able to meet the needs of the veterans.”

— Union Representative

What’s next

The investigation into the shooting at the Jasper VA clinic is ongoing.

The takeaway

This tragic incident highlights the urgent need for increased safety measures and proper staffing at VA facilities to protect both patients and healthcare workers, especially in the context of providing critical mental health services to vulnerable veterans.