Armed Man In Texas Fires Shots, Steals Ambulance With EMT & Patient Inside
HOUSTON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A strange situation in Texas on Friday when an armed suspect stole an ambulance while a patient and firefighter emergency medical technician were inside.
As firefighters were taking a patient to the hospital an armed man firing shots stopped a car in front of the ambulance. According to officials, a man got out of the car, pointed a gun at the ambulance driver. A firefighter behind the wheel was forced out of the ambulance and left on the side of the road as the suspect took off in the emergency vehicle.
In a series of tweets officials with the Houston Police Department said the suspect is accused of running the ambulance off the road.
Southwest and Southeast officers just recovered a stolen HFD Ambulance at Southwest Freeway and Weslayan. HFD was transporting a patient to the hospital when a car ran the ambulance off the road and took the ambulance at gunpoint. One firefighter was left on the side of the road. pic.twitter.com/Ip5DRcjP5q
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) July 23, 2021
With the patient and another firefighter still in back, officials were able to track the ambulance via GPS. They locate the vehicle and got the suspect, whose name has not been released, to peacefully surrender.
Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Peña later praised the kidnapped EMT for still being able to treat the patient.
No one was injured during the incident, and another ambulance was called in to take the patient to a nearby hospital.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)