THE CZECH IS IN THE MAIL
As a society, we’re quick to jump the gun – no pun intended.
Whenever a school shooting takes place, particularly in a smalltown or suburban school setting, some people are quick to advocate for more gun laws or gun control. What about knives?
Last month alone, two notable stabbing deaths occurred. The first was on April 2 in Frisco at a high school track meet, and the second was April 26 in Kansas City, Missouri, in an ambulance.
There also was a trial for a former Belton High School student, who stabbed a fellow student to death in May 2022, last week. The suspect, Caysen Allison, was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the case.
In this piece, I’m going to focus on the Kansas City incident. The victim was 29-year-old Kansas City firefighter/paramedic Graham Hoffman, who was stabbed in the back of an ambulance while treating a patient on the way to an area hospital.
The suspect, 38-yearold Shanetta Bossell, faces charges of firstdegree murder armed criminal action, thirddegree assault and resisting arrest. According to news outlets, Bossell has pled not guilty to the charges.
There has to be a way to protect emergency personnel. While an armed presence might not have prevented the stabbing from taking place, it would’ve decreased the chances of it taking place.
How do we ensure an armed presence on ambulances and fire trucks? Do we require our firefighters and medics to take gun safety courses?
Do we require each ambulance and fire truck to have at least one personnel who is armed? Or, do we require an on-duty police officer to accompany ambulances or fire trucks to each call?
That’s a lot of questions. But there has to be an answer to make sure our paramedics and firefighters are protected.
If we can have outcries for strict gun laws whenever school shootings take place, then we can have those same outcries when our paramedics or firefighters are killed. They risk their lives to help people in critical times, so they deserve protection.
I have the same feeling about our law enforcement officers, but most law enforcement officers are armed while on duty. Most of our firefighters and paramedics are unarmed on duty.
Maybe it’s time for that to change. Even if it means putting guns in the hands of EMS personnel.
Chlapek is the area editor of the Taylor Press. He can be reached at jason.chlapek@granitemediapartners. com.
