A Tuscaloosa County lawsuit filed Friday alleges DCH Regional Medical Center failed to properly evaluate and treat a man experiencing a severe mental health crisis before he fatally shot a nurse in the hospital’s parking lot.
The lawsuit was filed June 12 by Michael Taylor, through his mother and next friend, Amanda Taylor, against DCH Healthcare Authority, Inc., which operates DCH Regional Medical Center.
According to the complaint, Taylor has a long history of severe mental illness and has spent time in mental health facilities throughout his life, including facilities operated by DCH Healthcare Authority.
The lawsuit alleges that on May 12, 2026, Taylor experienced an acute psychiatric crisis and was taken to DCH’s emergency department by family members or friends seeking emergency mental health treatment.
Court records claim hospital staff knew or should have known Taylor was suffering from an emergency psychiatric condition but failed to provide an appropriate medical screening examination, treatment, stabilization or admission.
The complaint alleges Taylor was turned away from the emergency department and left without an adequate evaluation.
According to the lawsuit, Taylor remained on or near hospital property for several hours afterward and continued displaying signs of severe psychiatric distress.
The suit claims hospital employees and security personnel observed Taylor during that time and knew or should have known he remained mentally unstable and in need of emergency intervention. Despite that, the complaint alleges DCH personnel failed to summon psychiatric services, crisis intervention personnel, law enforcement, emergency detention procedures or additional medical treatment.
The lawsuit alleges that while in the midst of the mental health crisis, Taylor obtained what it describes as an improperly secured firearm and fatally shot a nurse in DCH’s parking lot. The complaint refers to the victim as a “beloved nurse, wife, and mother.”
Taylor’s lawsuit alleges violations of the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, commonly known as EMTALA, as well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The complaint also includes claims of negligence, wantonness, negligent undertaking, and negligent or wanton failure to secure a firearm.
Among its allegations, the lawsuit claims DCH denied Taylor meaningful access to emergency medical services because of his mental disability and failed to take reasonable steps to assess, monitor, stabilize and protect him during the psychiatric emergency.
The suit contends those alleged failures contributed to a worsening of Taylor’s condition and ultimately resulted in damages that include emotional distress, arrest, incarceration, criminal prosecution, institutionalization, medical expenses and other losses.
In addition to seeking damages from DCH, the lawsuit names several fictitious defendants, including any entities responsible for security services at the hospital and the owner of the firearm Taylor allegedly obtained.
The complaint seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages where allowed by law, attorney fees, court costs, interest and other relief.
The filing also includes requests for extensive records, including surveillance video, security logs, incident reports, communications related to the shooting, policies governing psychiatric emergencies and records of prior similar incidents.
Monday, DCH Health System released the following statement:
The loss of our colleague continues to weigh heavily on every member of our DCH family. She was a dedicated nurse and case manager who gave her professional life to caring for others, and her absence is felt every day by her colleagues, her patients, and the community she served.
We have been made aware of a civil complaint in connection with her death filed by the family of the alleged assailant. While it would be inappropriate for us to comment on the specifics of pending litigation, we want to be clear: DCH takes its responsibilities to its employees and to the community with the utmost seriousness. We will review the complaint carefully and respond through the appropriate legal process.
We would note that Mr. Taylor never entered our emergency department or any other hospital facility, was never registered as a patient, and never presented himself for care from DCH on May 12, 2026. We will allow the legal process to address the remaining facts in due course.
What we can say without reservation is that we remain fully committed to the safety of every person who works at, visits, or receives care at our facilities.
The ongoing security enhancements we have implemented since May 12th are real, and not contingent on the outcome of any legal proceeding. The enhancements of our security protocols will continue with input from our employees and leading security experts.
Our thoughts remain with those who have been touched by the tragic loss of our colleague.