Video Captures Violent Attack on Hennepin County Paramedics

Tyereh Dontrell House was sentenced to nine months and lengthy probation after being convicted in July of assaulting a Hennepin County paramedic.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has obtained video showing House attacking a paramedic with a large piece of concrete while the other paramedic holds him at bay with a rolling stretcher.

Sam Erickson, vice president of the Hennepin County Association of Paramedics and EMTs, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the union is pleased the judge imposed the maximum sentence allowed, but said the union would push lawmakers to make changes for stricter penalties.

“These attacks, like the one we’re talking about, could have resulted in great bodily harm, or someone could be injured or seriously injured. These need a second look by the Legislature and possibly a stiffer penalty,” Erickson said.

Hennepin Healthcare data shows there have been 243 threats and attacks against ambulance workers in the first nine months of this year, compared to 121 in all of 2023.

Hennepin Healthcare EMS Chief Martin Scheerer said attacks and threats are now a daily occurrence.

“Certainly, strong penalties for people who try to harm our teams,” Scheerer said. “We are just there to help and there are people who want to harm us, which is really unfortunate.”