A Seattle firefighter crew was treating a patient when a bystander tried to intentionally slam into them with his motorized wheelchair.
KOMO reported several police officers raced to assist as soon as they heard the call for help on the radio.
“It's an absolute shame. I think that firefighters should be able to do their work in peace and not be assaulted,” Michael Cole, who witnessed the arrest told reporters. “Any assault against a firefighter is an assault against all of us.”
The suspect is a double amputee and was combative and belligerent as police questioned him, the station reported.
Officers put a spit sock over the man’s head and handcuffed him to his wheelchair but he managed to slip out of them. He was subdued and handcuffed to an ambulance cot.
“Why would people do this to our own firefighters," said Emily Schneider, who also witnessed the arrest.
Attacks on first responders are occurring across the country, report indicate.
