When a Care Home Shift Turns to Violence on Oglethorpe Boulevard
Shakisha Jones thought she was having a routine conversation inside the office at Friendship Personal Care Home. Instead, a Friday evening shift on October 23 dissolved into a struggle for survival when a resident allegedly charged her with a pair of scissors, declaring an intent to kill her.
According to an on-the-ground report by WALB, the 5:12 p.m. attack at the Albany facility left Jones with five distinct stab wounds. While Albany police swiftly detained 60-year-old Arlene White at the scene and charged her with aggravated assault with a cutting tool, the aftermath has led Jones to call for facilities to prioritize employee safety.
Inside the Office: How the Attack Unfolded
Jones has worked at the Oglethorpe Boulevard personal care home for nine years. On that Friday afternoon, she was speaking with another resident in the office space when White propped herself against the wall and demanded that Jones stop making noises with the scissors she was holding.
When Jones instructed White to return to her personal room, the situation escalated rapidly. White allegedly replied that she was not going back and intended to take the scissors herself. She just charged me,
Jones told WALB. She actually looked at me and told me she was going to kill me, and she actually tried to.
Police reports indicate that officers arriving at the facility found White leaving the building with the scissors, at which point she dropped them and was taken into custody. Officers noted that White told them she intended to carry out the assault.
Jones Sustains Multiple Stab Wounds and Facial Injuries
While official police accounts initially detailed three stab wounds to the back of the head for one victim and a hand injury for another, Jones clarified to WALB that her injuries were far more extensive. She sustained five stab wounds in total—three to the top and back of her head and two to the side of her face. Two of those facial wounds subsequently developed infections.
Beyond the puncture wounds, Jones suffered a lip injury, lost half a tooth, and sprained the same hand she had previously injured. She credits three residents with saving her life. Two residents physically intervened and held White back, while a third called 911, allowing Jones to break free and escape the building. One of the residents who stepped in was also injured during the struggle, though Jones was transported by ambulance before she could learn the extent of his injuries.
If those two individuals had not intervened, my children would have had to bury their mother,
Jones said. It was three of us trying to contain this one person.
White Previously Faced Battery Charges for Attacking Jones
Jones revealed that White was charged with simple battery against her last November after allegedly knocking two of her artificial nails off in front of police officers. Following that incident, White spent time in jail and another facility, and court orders reportedly mandated that she stay 100 feet away from Jones.
WALB is working to independently verify details surrounding the previous case and any associated court orders. Meanwhile, questions remain regarding how White returned to a facility where an active separation order allegedly existed.
Family members of the suspect have also spoken out about the complex realities of mental health care. Charenthia Blocker, who identified herself as White’s niece, told WALB that her aunt has dealt with mental illness for decades. She’s not a vicious person,
Blocker said, adding that the incident stemmed entirely from her aunt’s mental state rather than criminal intent.
Police have not formally stated whether mental illness played a role in the attack, and WALB’s attempts to reach Friendship Personal Care Home for a response regarding facility safety measures and Jones’s allegations were met with a declined interview from the manager while the owner was out of town.
People to care about their employees, not just the business,
Jones said. Our safety matters too.
