EMTs attacked while responding to 911 call in the Bronx
Apr 10, 2026
Two EMTs were attacked and four were injured in total while responding to a 911 call in the Bronx Thursday night, officials said.
The on-duty emergency personnel got a 911 call around 10:30 p.m. about a person with an “altered mental status” at a Morris Heights building on Sedgwick Avenue.
When they arrived, they tried to help the individual, officials say. In all, four EMTs suffered injuries, according to the EMS union: One in their 20s suffered a cut to the head that required five staples, while another in their 30s was cut in the hand that also needed stitches.
One of the other EMTs, a 20-year-old, was punched in the face, while a 21-year-old was kicked in the stomach, the union said.
All four went to the hospital and are expected to recover.
The crime scene stretched through several hallways of the building, with blood and glass littering the ground and walls.
The 22-year-old suspect, identified as Jose Bencosme, was arrested and charged with two counts of assault, police said. Attorney information for Bencosme was not immediately available.
The suspect’s girlfriend told NBC New York she thinks he was under the influence of something at the time. She said he became gradually more paranoid after coming home, and he didn’t even recognize her or her parents. That’s when they called 911, because they were worried for his safety.
Fire marshals and the NYPD are investigating, according to the FDNY.
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