St. Jude Children’s Hospital Employee Shot to Death While Defending Family During Robbery

A St. Jude Children’s Hospital employee was fatally shot Sunday night while defending his family during an armed robbery near a Tennessee park. 

Alexander Bulakhov, 32, was walking with his wife, Anastasiia, and 2-year-old daughter, Barbara, near Tom Lee Park in downtown Memphis when a man in a ski mask approached them, WKYT reported. 

The man demanded the family hand over their belongings, forcing Bulakhov to give him his wallet, according to the arrest affidavit cited by the outlet.

Bulakhov then struggled with the man over the gun in an attempt to defend his wife after the suspected robber allegedly pointed the weapon at her, police said.

During that struggle, Bulakhov was shot, according to police. He was transferred to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Police said the suspect fled the scene with someone driving a white Toyota Camry.

On Monday, police arrested Marious Ward, 23, and Brandy Rucker, 22, on after an investigation, per the outlet.

Both face charges of first-degree murder, first-degree murder in perpetration of a robbery, especially aggravated robbery, criminal attempted first-degree murder, employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony and criminal attempted aggravated robbery, according to police.

Jacob McLemore, a resident who witnessed the shooting, said the incident happened quickly. 

“Car pulled up, there’s a driver. They were headed this way on Tennessee [Street]. The passenger got out, came up here. The whole thing happened really quick, like 90 seconds tops, and then, he ran back to the car,” he said, per WKYT.

Bulakhov moved to the U.S. to work at St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

“It doesn’t look great. You got an immigrant that comes here to enjoy the freedoms we have in America and work for a great company like St. Jude, and then, he gets taken from his family,” McLemore told WKYT.

Bulakhov came to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in July to start a postdoctoral fellowship, according to a GoFundMe page set up for the family. As of Thursday evening, $49,201 was raised out of $100,000. 

A St. Jude representative said that the hospital is saddened by the loss of Bulakhov.