Man Tased During Attack On EMSA Paramedics, OKC Officer

An Oklahoma City officer tased a man outside a metro hospital during a scuffle with EMSA paramedics. 

Officials said the incident happened only hours after Ricardo Kendle,33, was released from jail.

“We run into violent situations all the time,” said John Graham, EMSA. “A lot of times it’s when we are there to take care of people.”

First responders had to react quickly during an unusual attack on New Year’s Day.

An EMSA truck had just pulled into the emergency bay at St. Anthony Hospital when Kendle approached the driver. He asked the paramedic for help but she told him she was busy with another patient.

“He became irate, opened her door and started to pull her out,” said Graham. “Tried to get in, push her over so he could take the ambulance.”  

An officer jumped in and tased Kendle, but the man got away and tried to steal another EMSA truck. During the first struggle, officials said Kendle bit one of the paramedics.

“It’s a hazard of the job,” said Graham. “Bitings happen more than you would think.”

The officer eventually took Kendle into custody and he was admitted into the hospital.

Police said this was the man's second run-in with the law in only a matter of hours. Kendle was arrested earlier that day after beating on city street car windows and busting out windows at the downtown Oklahoma City University law school.

County jail officials say Kendle was booked into jail and released a couple of hours later.

Kendle faces a number of charges in connection to the attack at the hospital including attempted kidnapping, robbery and assault and battery.