A Philadelphia Fire Department medic was seriously injured when he was stabbed by a man inside the back of an ambulance Thursday morning in North Philadelphia, authorities said.
The medic and his partner responded to a call just before 6:15 a.m. at 18th Street and Ridge Avenue, where they picked up the man with the intention of taking him to Temple University Hospital, according to investigators.
While en route, the driver heard a commotion in the back of the ambulance, opened the door and found his partner with stab wounds to his chest and hand, Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore told reporters.
The man took off running, though he was captured by officers at 23rd and Diamond streets following a brief foot chase, according to Vanore. Police said they recovered a knife from the suspect, who has not been publicly identified.
Authorities said the medic was rushed to Temple hospital in critical condition, though his status has since been upgraded to serious. Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson said he is “expected to make a full recovery.”
Thompson added that a two-person EMS team is standard procedure. Officials did not say what prompted medics to pick up the stabbing suspect and attempt to bring him to the hospital.
The attack came five days after a driver struck three nurses while dropping off a gunshot victim at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in University City. A suspect in that case surrendered to police Wednesday.
