A civilian hospital employee was charged Thursday with setting his supervisor on fire at Fort Leavenworth in an effort to kill her, acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Clifford Currie, 54, Leavenworth, Kan., was charged with one count of assault with intent to commit murder. The attack happened at 5:10 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, at the second floor of the Munson Army Health Center at Ft. Leavenworth, according to the criminal complaint.
The criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., alleged that Currie threw gasoline or some other flammable liquid on his female supervisor, lit on her fire and assaulted her with a straight edge razor.
Another hospital worker came to the victim’s aid when she heard screams and saw the victim on fire from the chest up.
The criminal complaint described how the other hospital worker tried to save the supervisor by helping to put the fire out and keeping the attacker away. The other worker heard a “loud, odd noise sort of like screaming” from the supervisor, according to the criminal complaint. The other worker went into the hallway and saw the supervisor in her office, on fire from the chest up, and Currie was standing in the office.
As the other worker tried to put the flames out on the supervisor, they ended up in the hallway, according to the criminal complaint, and the other worker saw Currie standing close to them holding a bladed weapon in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other hand.
The other worker and the supervisor fell to the floor during the struggle and while they attempted to put out the fire, according to the court document.
Then Currie put his foot on the supervisor’s throat and was trying to stab her, according to the criminal complaint. The other worker pulled Currie’s foot off the supervisor, causing Currie to fall to the floor. The other worker struggled with Currie to keep him away from the supervisor, the criminal complaint stated.
The other hospital worker was injured trying to stop Currie from continuing the assault on the victim, according to the criminal complaint. Currie was subdued by hospital employees and then arrested.
A doctor who arrived during the struggle attempted to put the flames out on the supervisor, according to the criminal complaint. The doctor stated she saw Currie strike the supervisor with his fist, and that she also saw him strike the supervisor with scissors.
Another employee who rushed to assist the supervisor stated he overheard Currie screaming, “I told you this would happen,” according to the criminal complaint.
According to other witnesses, the supervisor usually had requested other people to be present when she had scheduled meetings with Currie.
If convicted, Currie faces a penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI and the U.S. Army Military Police investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan is prosecuting.
