Fellow Nurses Africa | Lagos, Nigeria | 18 October, 2025

Police in Columbia, Missouri, have arrested a 52-year-old man accused of pointing a gun at a nurse following an argument over loud music outside Boone Hospital Center.
According to the Columbia Police Department, the incident occurred around 5:09 p.m. on October 15, 2025, when a nurse approached a vehicle parked in the hospital’s circle drive and asked the driver to lower his music volume. The driver, identified as Lance Desell Terrill, allegedly became agitated, pulled out a handgun, cocked it, and pointed it at the nurse.
Security footage reviewed by officers reportedly confirmed that the confrontation unfolded within seconds. The nurse was not injured, and hospital security quickly alerted local law enforcement.
Upon arrival, police detained Terrill and recovered the firearm. During questioning, he admitted to cocking the gun but denied pointing it at the nurse, claiming he acted in self-defense after asking her to move away from his vehicle.
Terrill was booked into the Boone County Jail and charged with:
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Armed Criminal Action
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Fourth-Degree Assault
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Unlawful Use of a Weapon
His bond was set at $10,000, and as of the latest update, no injuries were reported.
Local authorities and hospital representatives have not released the nurse’s identity for safety reasons. Boone Hospital Center has yet to issue a formal public statement, but sources say staff safety protocols were promptly enforced following the incident.
The case remains under investigation, and no court hearing date has been made public at this time.
This incident highlights growing concerns over workplace safety for healthcare professionals, particularly those working in high-stress environments.
National data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that healthcare and social service workers experience some of the highest rates of workplace violence across all industries.
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