By Rachel Engel
LANCASTER, Pa. — A man charged with stabbing an EMT during a transport was charged with additional crimes after investigators determined he fired a police officer’s gun he attempted to take from its holster while inside the ambulance during the same incident, Lancaster Online reported.
First responders were called to treat Jeremic Medina-Dorta, 27, who claimed to be under the influence of “acid” and had glass stuck in his foot.
Once inside the ambulance, a struggle occurred between Medina-Dorta, an EMT, a paramedic and a police officer, during which the patient slashed the EMT with a knife. While the fight continued, the patient grabbed the police officer’s gun from his holster and fired a shot.
At the time, the officer said he heard a “pop” but didn’t realize his gun had gone off. He later discovered a spent casing in the chamber. A bullet hole was also found on the stretcher inside the rig, as well as a discharged bullet.
Body camera footage of the incident shows Medina-Dorta grabbing the gun during the struggle and firing the weapon.
Medina-Dorta was charged with felony counts of assault of a law enforcement officer; disarming a law enforcement officer; three misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person; and two counts of criminal mischief. He is being held on $50,000 bail.