Monday, March 8, 2010 - A Bensalem, Pennsylvania Paramedic died Sunday night after being attacked by a man he was responding to help, police and local media report.
At about 7 p.m. Sunday, EMS and police units were dispatched to a male with a reported mental illness (initially reported by WPVI as a possible suicidal subject), and at some point during interaction with the victim the paramedic was attacked. The medic, not yet identified, was pronounced dead at an area hospital.
Police Sergeant Andrew Aninsman told KYW Newsradio that medics arrived before police and they were approached by the subject. The Trentonian reported late Sunday that the medic was stabbed, however other media outlets were reporting that no weapon was involved. An interview on NBC Philadelphia with police Sgt. Andrew Aninsmanie reported that medics approached the individual and one of the medics sustained a 'severe injury' but that no weapon was believed to be involved. The individual was reported to have been fleeing the scene at the time of the encounter with the medic.
PhillyFireNews.com is reporting that the medic is from Bensalem Emergency Medical Services in Bucks County. The incident happened in the 2600 block of Kiansas Street. The medic reportedly has been with the organization since 1998.
PFN's News Editor Steve Skipton reports that the Public Safety Director is requesting the victim's name not be released at this time, and JEMS is following that request. Additional information is expected to be released late Monday morning.
The 37-year-old medic is married with two daughters.
"Sometimes you just don't know what is going to happen," Skipton told users of the site's forum Sunday night. "I teach new EMT's and preach scene safety on every response well this brings that point home that no calls are 'routine'. Be safe"
Police say the unidentified suspect has a history of mental illness and is being evaluated at a hospital, according to the Associated Press.
