Man attacks medics

Man attacks medics A knife-wielding man attacked three paramedics from St Gabriel Ambulance service in Walvis Bay yesterday.

According to Claudia Nangolo, Ephrahim Makuriri and Xanophane van Wyk, a male only known as Eugene, attacked them with a 32cm-long bread knife when they arrived to provide assistance to an individual at house No 41 on the corner of Nangolo Mbumba drive and Oasis Street in Meersig, after a call-out.

The owner of St Gabriel Ambulance service, Gabriella Teleman confirmed she received a call-out about someone bleeding profusely and said she dispatched an ambulance with paramedics to render assistance.

The paramedics recounted that they arrived at the house and parked the ambulance. While removing their equipment a man with a knife ran towards them.

“He started attacking and was stabbing wildly at us. We had to dodge to avoid being stabbed by him and ran away. He then entered the ambulance and while trying to start it a woman came and removed the keys from the ignition,” recounted a visibly shocked Nangolo.

After scurrying to safety the paramedics called Teleman who notified the police and requested assistance. When G4S security service personnel arrived on the scene after approximately seven minutes, the man jumped out of the ambulance, ran into the house and locked himself in.

Police officers eventually arrived, arrested and removed him to the Walvis Bay police station holding cells.

According to Van Wyk, the man had self-inflicted cuts all over his arms and was very aggressive.

The woman who accompanied him to the police station eventually called E-Med Rescue 24 personnel to come and attend to his wounds.

Two medics arrived at the police station and dressed the wounds which he removed as soon as they had finished doing so.

He started swearing and demanded that police officers release him so that he can go home.

Telemann condemned the man's actions. “We are here to save lives and people behave like animals towards us,” she said.

Police officers advised the three paramedics to open a case of assault by threatening and explained that the man would be slapped with a fine.

They resolved that opening a case would be a waste of time and left the police station.



OTIS FINCK