A 22-year-old man has been arrested following a terrifying and violent incident inside the accident and emergency department of a major hospital, which left three patients injured—including one man who had part of his ear bitten off.
Chaos in the Waiting Room
Greater Manchester Police were called to Bolton Hospital at approximately 4.15pm on Friday afternoon after receiving reports of a man assaulting patients. Upon arrival, officers confronted a scene of chaos and distress.
According to eyewitness Michael Anderson, 34, the violence erupted after the suspect, who had been escorted into A&E by two police officers, became increasingly agitated. "He was getting irate in his chair," Anderson told the Manchester Evening News. After about ten minutes, the man stood up, counted the people in the waiting room, and then began screaming in a corridor.
Eyewitness Describes 'Bomb Had Gone Off' Scene
The situation escalated rapidly when the attacker targeted a frail man. "This guy swung for him," Anderson recounted. When another patient tried to intervene, the assailant turned on him. "He latched onto his ear and has bitten part of it off," Anderson said.
Anderson, who was at the hospital with his pregnant partner, described acting instinctively to prevent further violence. "I pulled him up off the man he was latching on to and threw him back down, got on top of him and restrained him," he said. A male nurse rushed to assist, and together they pinned the suspect to the ground until security arrived minutes later.
"It was honestly like a bomb had gone off afterwards," Anderson said, describing a scene of disbelief and panic, with one young woman curled in a ball on the floor having a panic attack.
Police Investigation and Aftermath
The suspect, a man in his early twenties, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of assault, assault on a police officer, and racially aggravated public order. He has been detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act.
The victims included a woman in her forties and a man in his seventies who sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene. The man who suffered the serious ear injury required hospital treatment but has since been discharged.
Detective Chief Inspector Mike Sharples, of GMP's Bolton district, stated: "We understand that an incident of this nature has caused concern for members of the public who were in hospital at the time, staff, and the wider community." He confirmed that officers are continuing to engage with staff and patients to conduct a thorough investigation.
Police are urging anyone with information to come forward by calling 101 or visiting their website, quoting log number 2055 of 02/01/2026. Bolton NHS Foundation Trust has been approached for comment regarding the incident and hospital security protocols.
