City investigating after patient is led off ambulance and collapses on sidewalk
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The City of Rochester is investigating after a man having a medical emergency was led off an AMR ambulance, left on a bench, and collapsed – and minutes passed by until EMTs tended to him.
Flanked by several members of Rochester City Council, Mayor Malik Evans said the ambulance was transporting a man on Nov. 30, 2023 when the ambulance pulled over and the EMTs told him to exit. Evans said video captures the man sitting on a bench then collapsing onto the sidewalk – and medics not helping him for at least two minutes.
The man died just before Christmas of a “health issue.” Evans did not identify him.
Here’s the timeline provided by the mayor:
- The patient seeks medical help.
- AMR responds and begins to transport him.
- The ambulance pulls over on Seneca Avenue.
- Rochester Police are called by the ambulance to “address some type of situation.”
- The man exits the ambulance.
- He sits on a bench, falls off, and collapses on the ground “for two minutes” with no one helping him until someone notices.
“This video does not show this individual doing anything other than sitting on a bench, falling, and saying, as he’s getting off the ambulance, saying he wants to go to the hospital. That’s all,” Evans said.
I want to understand why they chose to call police. I want to understand why personnel required someone in distress to be removed from an ambulance instead of being taken directly to the hospital. We must get to the bottom of this. We must understand how and why this occurred and we must identify processes and safeguards to ensure this does not ever happen again.
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans
Evans said he’s “flabbergasted” his office was not notified about the incident by AMR. He said he learned of it on Tuesday from the man’s family.
Video from cameras on Seneca Avenue has been crucial in providing information.
“If this had happened somewhere else, I wouldn’t be standing here because I wouldn’t have had any photo/visual other than brief body-cam footage where they are saying, ‘Why are you calling us?’ It’s the blue-light camera that really provides all of the information that I’m presenting to you that we have.”
AMR has not yet shared information with the City, Evans said, noting it has subpoenaed records. RPD’s Professional Standards Section is investigating, but the ultimate responsibility lies with Corporation Counsel.
“City residents are people and deserve to be treated humanely as with the same attention as anyone else,” Evans said.
He’s also asked AMR to investigate. The City contracts with AMR for ambulance service.
A spokesperson from AMR provided the following statement:
“With respect to the City of Rochester’s January 11th press conference about a November 30, 2023, incident. We reached out to the family and do not have permission to speak about the details of this incident due to patient privacy laws. We viewed the video for the first time yesterday and have launched an internal investigation. We have also requested an investigation by the New York State Department of Health Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems.”
Vanessa Cheeks from the Police Accountability Board said the PAB has been involved in investigating this incident since a concerned member of the community filed a report with PAB.
“While we cannot share details of this investigation, the PAB has been reviewing materials in the case including bodyworn camera footage and reports provided by the Rochester Police Department as well as information shared by witnesses. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact our agency at 585-428-9999 or submit evidence online at rocpab.org,” Cheeks stated.