ABC7 has an article about charges being filed against a student that recently assaulted a CFD paramedic:
The ABC7 I-Team has learned that another Chicago Fire Department paramedic has been attacked by someone she was trying to help. This latest case resulted in felony charges filed Monday against a DePaul University student.
This is happening at least once a week in Chicago– paramedics jumped and pummeled–in some cases, by people whose lives they are trying to save. On Monday, fire union officials were at the young man’s court appearance to press for felony charges against him …
“I want everyone to know around the entire country to keep your hands off of our paramedics, our fire fighters and our police officers because they are there to help you. They are called to assist you, not to be your personal punching bag,” said Tom Ryan, president, Firefighters Local #2.
Chicago paramedic Kelly Begley was dispatched to this DePaul student apartment building on November 1. The call was an intoxicated individual who fell and injured his head. After Begley arrived, it was her head that was injured, she says, by the student she was called to treat.
According to Cook County prosecutors, Erik Kawar’s girlfriend called paramedics when he came home drunk, with a head injury from hitting the pavement. Paramedic Begley testified in a Cook County Court that Kawar swore at her and then hit [her] in the face, giving her a black eye, then pushed her into the wall and fell on her. She ended up transported to Illinois Masonic.
“This [is] happening repeatedly, … there have been four other cases and that was only a few weeks ago, it’s happening on a weekly basis and we are not going to put up with it,” said Ryan.
“There are very few things you can count on in this world 100%, when you dial 911 we are there every time. And we do not deserve to be assaulted on the scene.”
The Cook County State’s Attorney says the majority of [these cases] end in a conviction or a guilty plea.
thanks Dan & Dennis
