By EMS1 Staff
HAMILTON, Ontario — Two paramedics face charges in connection with their response to the fatal shooting of a teen.
CP24 reported that Steven Snively and Christopher Marchant were arrested after an investigation into how they treated Yosef Al-Hasnawi, 19, when he was shot, was launched by police.
Witnesses, including Al-Hasnawi’s father Majed, said paramedics thought the teen was “acting” when he said he couldn’t breathe and handled him roughly.
The teen was transported to the hospital, where he later died.
Paramedic union President Mario Posteraro defended the paramedics and said responders believed the shooting incident involved a pellet gun.
“There was an assertion that there was a pellet gun involved,” Posteraro said. “Upon assessment and the patient’s condition, it wasn’t consistent, the paramedics felt, from a critical clinical perspective, that he had been shot with a .22. In hindsight obviously, had they known, and had the patient presented differently, they definitely would have transported him to the lead trauma center.”
Al-Hasnawi was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital instead of Hamilton General, which is the designated hospital for gunshot wounds.
Posteraro added that the Snively and Marchant have great reputations in the paramedic industry.
“These are two very competent, professional paramedics that function at a very high level,” he said. “They are certified annually by the medical authority, and they received positive performance appraisals from our management.”
Police said they interviewed 60 witnesses of the incident as part of their investigation.
Hamilton Paramedic Services Chief Russell Crocker said an internal review of the incident is still being conducted.
“This is the first time in Ontario that this has happened,” he said. “Our paramedics obviously are probably a little anxious at this point. We’ve made resources available to help them cope with that.”
Hamilton Paramedic Services is also being sued for $10 million by the Hasnawi family.
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