Suspect charged after 4 EMS workers attacked while responding to call for help in the Bronx
MORRIS HEIGHTS, The Bronx (WABC) -- An attack on four EMTs inside a Bronx apartment building has left the first responders injured and a suspect under arrest on Friday.
The assault happened just after 10 p.m. Thursday on the seventh floor of an apartment building along Sedgwick Avenue in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx.
The EMTs were responding to a call involving 22-year-old Jose Bencosme, a resident of the building, when they were attacked in the hallway.
Bencosme is facing two counts of assault, both felonies, due to the attacks being on first responders.
The suspect's mother told Eyewitness News that she was "shocked" and "embarrassed" to describe what happened because it is so out of character for her son.
"he is an amazing child, an amazing kid who loves, who respects a love for animals, so to see him in this behavior is very heartbreaking," Denixa Venegas said.
She said that he is a college student with no record, nor history of mental illness or substance abuse. She acknowledged he must have been under the influence of something, but claims this was a first.
Venegas said that he came home in the evening as per usual, but was becoming increasingly agitated, pacing, speaking incoherently. She stayed with him in a bedroom and called for EMS.
When they arrived he ran out to the hallway where she and the two EMTs tried to restrain him. During the struggle, one EMT was either head butted or hit his head on the wall.
They called for backup and those EMTs likely broke the glass lobby door to get upstairs. His mother called 911 again, requesting police.
Overnight, she said her son came down from whatever he was on and was discharged from the hospital to the police, who took him to the precinct.
A 32-year-old EMT suffered a laceration to the head, while a 20-year-old EMT was treated for injuries to the face. Both were taken to the hospital in stable condition. Two other EMTs also suffered minor injuries.
"My son was just trying to get away from them, it wasn't like 'OK come here, you want me to beat you?' No assault, he was just, because they were trying to hold him down, he was just trying to get them off," Venegas said.
Officials said that EMTs often encounter dangerous situations.
"We understand our job is dangerous and we chose to come to work everyday and bring healing hands to the citizens of New York," said Michael Greco, Vice President, AFSCME, Local 2507. "We are not getting compensated with the same respect of the effort of the job that we are doing."
Mayor Mamdani commented on the attack saying, "I've said time and again that whenever there is a call that comes into emergency services with the threat of violence, that a police officer should and would to be present for that. and we will always look at all the policies and procedures to ensure that EMT workers don't have to worry about their safety."
There were 430 violent incidents against EMS workers in 2024.
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