By Dave Statter
dstatter@wusa9.com
STATter 911 — http://www.statter911.com
WUSA9 — http://www.wusa9.com
WASHINGTON — A 26-year-old DC firefighter received a graze wound to his left arm after his crew was fired upon while answering a medical call Monday night. Hakim Carroll is assigned to Engine 30, located at 50 49th Street, NE, a block away from the call in the 4800 block of East Capitol Street.
According to DC Fire & EMS Department spokesman Alan Etter, firefighters were trying to force entry into the apartment around 10:00 PM. They had a report that a man in his late 50s was inside, possibly suffering a heart attack. That information came from the man’s brother who had been talking to him on the phone. Police are looking into the possibility the man opened fire because he was confused and thought someone was breaking into his apartment to do him harm.
After the shooting, the man remain barricaded inside his apartment until he surrendered to DC police officers around 11:00 PM.
Hakim is described as having about two years on the job. His father retired from DC Fire & EMS and he has a brother on the department. FF Hakim was treated and released from a local hospital.
In a press release, DC Fire & EMS Chief Dennis Rubin noted basic training in the department includes how to deal with violent patients. According to Chief Rubin, “Danger presents itself to firefighters in more ways than burning buildings.”
Since 1972 Dave Statter has covered the news. A good deal of Dave’s reporting has focused on how fire and emergency medical services are delivered in and around Washington and Baltimore. Along the way, Dave was also a volunteer firefighter, an emergency dispatcher and a cardiac rescue technician.