Critically Wounded Dallas Paramedic & 2nd Victim Identified
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Today Dallas Fire Rescue paramedic William An is recovering after being shot while responding to a shooting call late Monday morning.
The gunman and another person were both found dead not far from where the shooting happened in the 3200 block of Reynolds Street, just south of Interstate-30.
During an afternoon press conference Dallas Fire Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans said An, 36, is stable but continues to be in critical condition at Baylor University Medical Center in downtown Dallas.
City officials said paramedic An is a 10-year veteran with the department who currently works out of Fire Station 19, in the eastern part of central Dallas. He is married, has a 3-year-old son and Evans said his wife is expecting their second child.
An's wife, Jane, issued a statement that said:
"By the grace of God, my husband is doing okay. We are greatly thankful for all the prayers sent our way. Please continue to pray for Will and keep him and our entire family in your prayers. Special thanks again to the first responders who risk their lives daily for others. God bless."
Jim McDade, president of the Dallas Fire Fighters Association, said paramedic An was struck once in the upper leg and once in the arm. The wound to his leg broke his femur and severed his femoral artery, while the wound to his arm damaged his radial artery. McDade said An "lost an enormous amount of blood" and had to be resuscitated in the emergency room.
A press release statement said that after multiple surgeries to fix his leg and repair his damaged arteries An's "procedures were deemed a success."
The incident started as an emergency call about a shooting. When officers arrived they found a paramedic and a civilian both shot and lying in the street.
Before officers could help the victims the suspect, Derick Lamont Brown, began shooting at them with a semi-automatic rifle and they had to take cover. As shots rang out interim Dallas police Chief David Pughes said one of the responding officers, Sgt. Robert Watson, left the safety of cover, rescued paramedic An and rushed him to Baylor in his squad car – a move that the Chief said saved the man's life.
Meanwhile, as police searched for the shooter they centered in on a specific house. After some time a police robot was sent inside the house where the bodies of the suspect Brown and his roommate, 67-year-old Arthur Riggins, were found.
During the press conference police said Brown had been "acting erratically" Monday morning and at some point took Riggins into a back room of the house and shot and killed him.
According to police, a neighbor apparently heard the gunshots and when he went outside to investigate was shot by Brown. It was that 24-year-old Hispanic man who was found lying in the street when paramedics arrived.
Brown had a lengthy criminal history that included aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance, and DWI charges. Members of his family were baffled by the shootings and said there were no warnings signs.
Brown's sister, Dekisha Bryant, said, "I don't know what happened. I wish it never would have happened and I'm sad for everybody."
When the suspect's father, Samuel Brown, initially heard about the shootings he hoped the incident was nowhere near where his son lived. "I was hoping that it was somebody else's house. But it turned out it's not," he said. His voice cracked and faded as he said, "It's just breaking my heart to know..."
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said Brown died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The wounded neighbor was taken to the hospital and Tuesday was recovering in the intensive care unit of a local hospital.
