Video shows violent attack on Hennepin County EMS ambulance crew

Tyereh Dontrell House was sentenced to nine months and extended probation after being convicted of assaulting a Hennepin County EMS ambulance crew in July.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has obtained video showing House attacking a paramedic with a large piece of concrete while another paramedic holds him off with a rolling stretcher.

Sam Erickson, vice president of the Hennepin County Paramedics and EMTs Association, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the union was pleased the judge imposed the maximum sentence allowed, but said the union will push lawmakers to amend for harsher sentences.

“These attacks, like the attacks we mentioned, can cause great bodily harm or cause injury or serious injury to someone, and they need to be given a second look by the legislature and potentially stricter penalties,” Erickson said.

Hennepin Healthcare data shows there were 243 threats and attacks against EMS workers in the first nine months of this year; This number was 121 in the whole of 2023.

Hennepin Health Emergency Department Chief Martin Scheerer said attacks and threats are now a daily occurrence.

“There will definitely be harsh penalties for those who try to harm our teams,” Scheerer said. “We’re just there to help, and there are people trying to hurt us, which is really unfortunate.”