A Veterans Affairs social worker died after being shot Tuesday at a VA clinic in Jasper, Georgia.
Nicholas “Nic” Crews of Marietta, Georgia, died Wednesday as a result of injuries suffered in a shooting at the clinic. He was airlifted from the scene for advanced medical treatment but succumbed to his injuries, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
His assailant, Lawrence Charles Michels, 51, of Jasper, was shot and killed by law enforcement, the GBI said in a release Thursday.
Michels was in the clinic for a walk-in mental health consultation; Crews was the clinic’s social work case manager, according to the GBI.
“Rest in peace to a dedicated @DeptVetAffairs colleague, Nicholas Crews, who died as a result of this week’s tragic shooting at the Pickens County VA Clinic in Jasper, GA. We are making sure Nicholas’ family, coworkers and local Veterans have the support they need during this difficult time,” VA Secretary Doug Collins wrote Thursday on X.
Crews leaves behind a wife and young children. According to the Atlanta-based 11Alive WXIA, Crews’ wife, Alyssa, is expecting the couple’s third child and is due in two weeks. He celebrated his 34th birthday on March 14.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation will be investigating the shooting along with the GBI. The VA’s Office of Inspector General is also assisting with the case, according to VA Press Secretary Peter Kasperowicz.
Following the shooting, Michels left the clinic and encountered an armed civilian and police officers. Michaels, armed with a handgun, opened fire and was struck and killed.
According to the American College of Surgeons, health care workers are five times more likely to experience violence than other occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the rate of injuries among medical professionals from violence rose by 63% from 2011 to 2018 and has escalated significantly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pickens County VA Clinic, part of the VA Atlanta Healthcare System, opened in 2020 and serves thousands of veterans in northern Georgia, providing primary care, mental health treatment, lab services and more.
The clinic remains closed through the remainder of the week. The VA has provided veterans and staff access to counseling and chaplain care, Kasperowicz said.
A family friend has set up a GoFundMe to help in the wake of Crews’ death.
“Our hearts are broken as we grieve the tragic loss of Nic Crews. He was deeply loved by so many and will be missed more than words can express,” wrote Amber Williams, a registered nurse from Cartersville, Georgia.
Patricia Kime is a senior writer covering military and veterans health care, medicine and personnel issues.