Vest saves paramedic hit by stray bullet
TWO officials have been left traumatised after one of them was hit in the chest by a bullet fired through the window of the ambulance that came under attack. Luckily the paramedic was wearing a bulletproof vest.
The incident was in Beacon Valley, Mitchells Plain yesterday. Emergency Medical and Forensic Pathology Services spokesperson Deanna Bessick said at the time of the incident, the paramedics were dispatched to assist a patient. As they stopped at the patient’s home, an alleged suspect ran towards the ambulance and a bullet hit one of the paramedics in the chest.
Bessick said fortunately, the paramedic he was wearing a bulletproof vest which saved his life.
“There were no injuries, besides the bruising that was left behind in the area where the bullet hit.”
She said the paramedic was severely traumatised and has been for counselling.
Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said a case of attempted murder was registered at Mitchells Plain police station after the complainant, a 46-year-old male ambulance driver, reported the incident that occurred while escorting a patient to hospital.
Traut said he was at the corner of Imperial and Palestrina roads when an unknown man came towards them, pulled out a firearm from his waist and fired through the driver’s side window.
“The unknown suspect managed to flee. No persons have been arrested,” he said.
Bessick said that incident was not the first for the paramedic as he was previously stabbed in the back with a knife in the same area where he and his colleagues render an essential service.
She said he one a member of the Tafelsig project, consisting of a dedicated vehicle and crew, implemented over a year ago.
“The objective of the project was to service the Beacon Valley and Tafelsig communities with an improved service delivery system, with the buy-in from the community,” Bessick said.
Safety and Security Mayco member JP Smith said the attacks on first responders were the work of cowards and criminals. Communities needed to step up and not only condemn these acts, but report the perpetrators.
Smith said the City’s firefighters were also attacked when they responded to an informal structure fire in Khayelitsha over the weekend.
“Their jobs are made more difficult when they come under attack from the very communities they are trying to save.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact D/Sgt Angus November of Mitchells Plain CID at 021 370 1782.