EMT struck, killed, by stolen ambulance in New York City

NEW YORK – An emergency medical technician in New York City was killed Thursday when she was struck and dragged by a stolen ambulance, police said.

Police said the EMT had stopped her ambulance in the Bronx at around 7 p.m. when a bystander flagged her down and said someone was being robbed.

When she exited the vehicle to investigate, a man jumped inside and drove off, police said.

The EMT tried to stop the man, police said, but fell and was caught beneath the wheels.

Video posted on Twitter by a bystander shows the ambulance speeding across an intersection with one of its doors open, its lights flashing and the body of one of the EMTs being dragged beneath the vehicle.

The vehicle came to a stop after a short distance. Police appeared to be on the scene within moments and took the person driving the ambulance into custody.

A second EMT was in the passenger seat of the ambulance as it was being stolen. She was being treated at a Bronx hospital for emotional trauma, but was not physically injured, police said.

A spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter that the mayor was headed to the hospital.

The video captured both the arrest of the driver, and a scene of anguish as the uninjured EMT kneeled, sobbing, over the body of her fallen partner.

Police didn't immediately identify the man who was arrested or the killed EMT.

Justin Lopez, 20, told the Daily News he shot the video of the episode as his brother was driving.

"I was coming from the street, up to the red light and I just saw the ambulance, the sirens and lights, and I told my brother 'Look something's happening,' and then somebody just hopped in, and then he hit two cars and ran over the person," he said. "I realized he was hijacking the car."