ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The organization of Black churches in Rochester, United Christian Leadership Ministry, is demanding the firing of AMR medics and Rochester Police officers connected to a man who was ordered out of an ambulance, collapsed on the sidewalk, left on the sidewalk for two minutes and died two weeks later.

The man’s identity and cause of death have not been publicized.

It was Nov. 30. Rochester police got sent to Seneca Avenue because of a man who would not get out of an AMR ambulance.

The scene was captured on RPD body-worn cameras and by blue light cameras, which are affixed to the top of utility poles.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with him but he will not get out of our truck,” one EMT said to the first arriving police officer.
“Okay,” the officer said.
“And he’s got to go,” the EMT said.
 
Officer: “Sir, it’s a wrap. Looks like they want you out.”
Man: “I couldn’t breathe.”
Officer: “They want you out, sir.”

The camera records one EMT saying the man complained about pain from drinking water.

“And then you came in and jumped at me and my partner and demanded oxygen and would not let go of me,” the EMT is heard on camera saying to the man.

Then the conversation continues between the man and the police officer who ordered him out of the ambulance.

Man: “I was freaking out.”
Officer: “Alright.”
Man: “You’d freak out too if you couldn’t breathe.”
Officer: “I hear ya. I’d probably try to control myself a little bit better. I’m not going to grab onto anybody, you know what I mean?”
Man: “Nah, I tried to grab for the door.”

The video shows the man got out of the ambulance and walked to a bench on the sidewalk. But 20 seconds later, video recorded on the blue light camera shows the man collapsed onto the sidewalk.

The video shows he laid there for two minutes and 20 seconds before anyone checked on him.

“Oh my God,” one EMT says when she sees him on the ground.

“The question I have is – how long has this been going on?” said Dr. Dwight Fowler, president of UCLM.

Dr. Fowler said Seneca Avenue became Rochester’s Jericho Road, the setting of the Bible story of the Good Samaritan, an injured man who was ignored.

In the basement of his church, he demanded the firings.

“Certainly those who are they with a higher pay scale should make the decision to relieve them of their responsibilities immediately,” he said. “This action they engaged in was literally ruthless, dehumanizing, despicable.”

I asked Dr. Fowler if he believed the EMTs and police officers were entitled to due process.

“I think a person and all people are entitled to due process,” he said. “But then I would also say the cameras speak for themselves.”

In response to UCLM’s call for the firings, RPD Captain Greg Bello emailed News10NBC writing, “it was announced last week that Chief Smith directed the Professional Standards Section conduct an internal investigation into the incident.  Officers, just like everyone else, are entitled to due process and we ask for patience as that process plays out.”

In a statement Thursday afternoon, the union that represents Rochester police officers wrote: “RPD officers were able to hear the patient snoring and observed his back rise and fall.  Within a matter of seconds, officers advised the AMR personnel on scene of the patient being on the ground.  A short time later, the AMR personnel came over to the patient to check on his condition and noticed that he was no longer conscious and in need of medical attention.”

The Locust Club statement goes on to read: “the RPD officers present remained on scene but, as at all times during this incident, AMR personnel had primary responsibility for the medical care of the patient… The RPD officers on scene at the time of the incident conducted themselves in compliance with RPD policies concerning medical situations for which AMR has primary responsibility.”

In its statement Thursday, AMR wrote “the crew has been placed on administrative leave until all investigations are complete. Our commitment to transparency and fairness necessitates cooperation with SEIU Local 200 to ensure that the investigative process is comprehensive and follows all rules outlined in our collective bargaining agreement.”

Like RPD, AMR is doing an internal investigation. It says it also called for an investigation by the state health department.

Thursday, the NYSDOH told News10NBC “this is the subject of an open investigation so we cannot comment at this time.”