Paramedic attack ‘can’t be swept under rug’

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Union leaders say the attack on a paramedic by a patient armed with shears is violence that cannot be tolerated as a normal part of the profession.

Monday’s attack is a stunning example of dangerous incidents regularly faced by first responders, said Rebecca Clifton, labour relations officer for the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, and administrative director of the Paramedic Association of Manitoba.

“It can’t just be another headline that we move on from. It happens constantly,” Clifton said by phone.

“Often, it is very much swept under the rug as part of the job or part of the profession and it’s just becoming more and more normalized, which is of great concern.”

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba is reviewing the incident, which occurred after emergency services responded to a mental health complaint on Pine Creek First Nation, it said in a news release Wednesday.

Police were initially summoned, but received an update that said they weren’t needed because the patient was with paramedics who were taking him to hospital in Dauphin, the IIU said.

The man began attacking the paramedics while in transit and they called police for help, it said.

Manitoba RCMP said officers raced to Highway 20, just north of Winnipegosis, shortly before 11 a.m.

Police said the 38-year-old patient attacked a paramedic and a bystander with shears. He was shot twice with a stun gun and once with a non-lethal projectile, RCMP said.

“After a lengthy struggle, officers were able to handcuff the male and take him into custody. He was transported to Dauphin hospital, where it was determined he had a broken rib,” the IIU said.

The police watchdog is required to investigate incidents in which police use force that results in injuries.

The paramedic suffered minor injuries, RCMP said.

The MAHCP called the incident “horrifying” and said first responders are subjected to violence daily. It warned the incident could have a long-lasting psychological effect on the victims.

Clifton, who has spoken with the injured paramedic, said they are doing well and supports are in place to assist in their recovery.

“I don’t think the general public realizes that while this is unfolding with these paramedics… every other paramedic working in that area can hear this plea for help,” Clifton said.

“It sends chills through your entire body.”

She said such incidents make it more difficult to recruit and retain first responders.

“This highlights the very real risk that paramedics face every day. Despite doing everything right, despite ensuring they had RCMP on scene, despite doing all of their assessments and focusing on that patient care, they were still put in harm’s way.”

The United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg issued its own statement, calling the attack a “stark and sobering reminder of the unique and often unpredictable dangers faced by public safety personnel.”

The union recently demanded senior levels of government strengthen legal penalties for people who assault first responders.

It has suggested expanding access to de-escalation and self-defence training, mental health supports and safety equipment — including stab- and slash-proof vests.

Randy Nepinak, who has been charged with the crime, is to appear in court in Swan River on Sept. 3.

Court records show Nepinak was charged with assaulting a peace officer, resisting arrest, mischief related to property under $5,000 and possessing unmarked tobacco stem from an Oct. 15, 2024 incident that remains before the courts.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca