By EMS1 Staff
LAS VEGAS — Almost two decades later, the death of rapper Tupac Shakur is still shrouded in elaborate conspiracy theories and speculation. But on the 20th anniversary of the night Tupac was shot, two paramedics who were at the scene have come forward with their version of events.
Jim and Shane, who are now firefighters for the city of Henderson, Nevada, were interviewed by CBS 8 under the condition that their last names were withheld.
“Jim and I did everything that we could and gave him every ample … but the general public doesn’t know that,” Shane said.
The two were posted nearby when they started following a swarm of police cars. The sirens lead them to a BMW riddled with bullet holes.
“Somebody met me at the back and said, ‘Go help my buddy,’ and, ‘My buddy’s shot in the car.’ So, I went,” Jim said.
That friend was Marion “Suge” Knight, co-founder of Death Row Records and the driver of the BMW in which Shakur was gunned down. Knight suffered a grazing bullet injury to the skull.
“He wanted us to make sure that we took care of Tupac before him,” Jim said.
Jim and Shane were loading the downed passenger into the ambulance when bystanders began yelling Tupac’s name.
“I leaned over to the cop, and I go, ‘This guy has the same nickname as that rapper,’” Jim said. “The cop, you know, looked at me and leaned over and was like, ‘This is him.’”
The ambulance received a police escort to the hospital and three officers rode in the back. On the way to University Medical Center, Jim told Shane who their patient was.
Tupac Shakur succumbed to his injuries six days later at the age of 25.
“You realize how much of an influence he really did have and how big of a deal it was,” said Jim. “I guess I realize it more now than I did 20 years ago.”