Crime - Three men attack paramedics during an operation in Neukölln
At a mission in Berlin-Neukölln, a paramedic was attacked by three men according to the police. The 47-year-old paramedic was injured in the head and then treated as an outpatient at the hospital, as a police spokesperson stated. He could no longer perform his duty. This incident occurred on a Wednesday night around 0.30 am, when a German Red Cross ambulance was dispatched to the Fuldastraße. There, a helplessly drunk woman was found on the pavement in front of a store.
Disagreement between Paramedic and Store Owner
The 47-year-old paramedic reportedly asked the woman to get up, according to the police. The 45-year-old store owner became agitated over the paramedic's choice of words. A verbal altercation ensued between the two men.
Attack on the Paramedic
The 45-year-old man began to assault the paramedic and push him, a 45-year-old bystander, as well as an unknown person, then approached from behind and repeatedly hit the paramedic on the back of the head with their fists. The paramedic picked up a beer bottle lying on the ground and threatened the three attackers with it in self-defense.
One of the three men managed to leave the scene unnoticed. The personal details of the other two have been recorded. The Violence Office is now investigating against them.
Shock over the Attack
The Chairman of the Berlin DRK State Association, Gudrun Sturm, reacted angrily: "Whoever attacks paramedics endangers human lives and crosses an absolutely unacceptable boundary." The police union expressed similar sentiments.
State Fire Director Karsten Homrighausen stated: "I strongly condemn that it has again happened in Berlin that paramedics have been attacked." According to the fire department's statements, violence against emergency responders has been increasing continuously. In the previous year, there were reportedly 148 attacks against Berlin Fire Department paramedics.
The helplessly drunk woman was a woman from Berlin. During the altercation, several men, including the store owner, intervened and escalated the situation. The Red Cross dispatched more rescue workers to the scene to provide assistance. Following the incident, the police launched an investigation into the assault on the paramedic and the store owner was also questioned due to his involvement.
