2 EMT’s escaped without injury after having a gun accidentally pointed at them during an emergency call in Wilkinsburg, PA. An Eastern Area Prehospital Services crew was called to the 1700 block of McNary Boulevard because of reports of a person having a stroke. When they arrived, the building manager led them to the apartment, but no one responded. Dispatchers gave the crew the go-ahead to enter the apartment.
"Sometimes we don’t get acknowledgement so we have to force our way in to make sure they are not in cardiac arrest," said Stephen Shurgot of Eastern Area Prehospital Services. Authorities said that the crew was making their way to the bedroom, the 85-year-old man who lives there was startled by their presence and grabbed a .32-caliber handgun.
The ambulance crew kept identifying themselves, but because the man had trouble hearing, he didn’t know what they were saying and thought they were intruders. "Sometimes you wake people up and you don’t know how they are going to react because they are in their home and it’s scary," Shurgot said.
The man fired a shot into the ceiling and the two crew members fell onto the floor. One of the medics ran out of the building, and fearing his partner had been shot, called police. As police were en route, the second EMT came out of the building unharmed.
Authorities said the man realized his mistake, and also came outside and apologized.
The crew realized they were in the wrong apartment and found the actual patient and took him to the hospital. Police interviewed the 85-year-old man and determined no charges would be filed.
Shurgot said the other patient was unharmed and the crew was ready to return to work. "Naturally, everyone is shaken up, but everyone is fine and they will be back on the job to take care of our patients," said Shurgot.
