Medic stabbed by patient in North Philadelphia expected to make "full recovery," officials say

A fire medic is in stable condition at Temple University Hospital and expected to make a full recovery after being stabbed in North Philadelphia.

Speaking outside the hospital Thursday morning, Philadelphia fire and police officials said a fire medic crew of two people first responded to a sick person call at 18th Street and Ridge Avenue around 6:15 a.m.

Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore said the medics located the individual, put him in the ambulance and started transporting him to the hospital. One medic was driving and the other remained in the back with the patient. According to Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson, it's standard for medic units to have just two crew members.

Vanore and Thompson said shortly after 6:30 a.m. the driver noticed a "commotion" happening in the rearview mirror and pulled over near 22nd and Diamond streets. When the medic opened the back door, the patient jumped out and ran. At that point, the medic noticed their partner was bleeding.

According to Vanore, the injured medic was stabbed at least twice, once in his chest and once in the right hand, and might have also been bit. He was taken to Temple University Hospital and initially listed in critical condition but is now stable and expected to recover.

The man who stabbed the medic was chased by police on foot and caught near 23rd and Norris streets. Police said the suspect still had the knife on him when he was apprehended.

"It don't make no sense," said Valencia Morris.

A shocked and confused Morris reacted to the news that a medic had been stabbed in her neighborhood.

"When I first saw the police cars, I thought it was one of the young people that got killed because of what's going on around here but when I came out and realized what was going on, it was just so sad," she said. "It's so sad because when you call them, now they are going to think — they're are going to hesitate to come out because of what's going on."

Becoming a victim of a crime isn't unusual for a healthcare worker. Last week, three Penn Presbyterian nurses were injured in a hit-and-run outside the emergency room, and it's a problem across the country.

"In the Philadelphia fire department, we respond to approximately 1,000 runs per day. Every day, 24/7, 365 days we are out there rendering care to everyone who needs it. So every day is always a challenge," Commissioner Thompson said when asked about the dangers medics and first responders face in the field.

"Kudos to the bravery of the men and women who do this every day," he said.

Mike Bresnan, the president of IAFF Local 22 – the Philadelphia firefighters' and paramedics' union, visited the injured member in the hospital.

"He's going to heal physically, but we'll be there for him — for his mental aspect," Bresnan said. 

"I said, you know, 'Listen. You got 8 lives left.' And he said, 'Yeah, you're not kidding,' and he laughed. ... When that knife came out and was plunging at him, he said, you know, his life flashed in front of his eyes," Bresnan said.

Bresnan notes his members have seen an uptick in assaults over the last few years.

"It's almost like people have no respect for anybody or human life or anything. And we got to get that back," he said.

Bresnan said the medic remains in the hospital as of Thursday night.

"We're out there on these streets trying to keep people safe — us and the police. We're trying to work hand in hand, and you know, we support the mayor and the police commissioner. They got an uphill battle, but we're there to support them," Bresnan said. 

Officials did not have any information on the suspect's condition at the time of the attack.

In:
• Philadelphia Police
• North Philadelphia
• Stabbing
• Philadelphia