ONLY ON ABC-7: Las Cruces VA doctor breaks silence about threat

The Las Cruces Veterans Affairs clinic doctor who says she was threatened by a patient says security has not been increased at her facility following last week’s El Paso VA shooting.

Terrified. That’s how Dr. Debra Draluck says she felt after a male patient told the clinic pharmacist he was going to shoot her. ABC-7’s Josie Ortegon reported on Draluck’s case last week and now the doctor says she’s not getting the help she needs.

Draluck has worked as a Las Cruces VA doctor for less than a year. When the clinic pharmacist informed her in December that one of her patients threatened to shoot her, she immediately reported the threat to Las Cruces police.

“I think I understand how the veterans feel now, because I am getting the same response they have, only from a different perspective,” Draluck said. She has also reached out to the Veterans Affairs chain of command, the VA police, the Do a Ana County District Attorney’s Office, private attorneys, two New Mexico senators and the FBI about the threat and ways to obtain a restraining order against the patient, whose name she can not give due to doctor-patient confidentiality.

Security has increased at the El Paso VA clinic after Army veteran and ex-clinic employee Jerry Serrato shot and killed psychologist Timothy Fjordback.

Draluck says her clinic is being overlooked.

Local VA Union President Miguel Pedroza, who is aware of Draluck’s circumstance, says threats happen far too often.

“You tend to forget the employees that are serving these veterans and the abuse they have to tolerate, because the veteran’s always right,” Pedroza said on ABC-7 Xtra Sunday night.

Draluck says the only increase in security she’s seen is Las Cruces police patrols who seem to frequent the facility more often. She has an appointment set with the patient she says threatened her on Feb. 10. Draluck says she has contacted VA directors requesting security be present if she’s forced to keep the appointment, but so far she is not sure if security officers will be present.