The outraged mother of a New York City EMT who was allegedly stabbed six times in her ambulance by an emotionally disturbed man with nine prior arrests accused the state of “failing” its residents.
“Fact: Rouldoph ‘Rudy’ Garcia, 48 of Bronx NY has eight prior arrests, including criminal possession of a weapon, assault, menacing with a weapon, drugs, burglary & assault on a police officer. He has been released back into civilization 8 times,” wrote Cara Fatum-Grant on Facebook.
“New York has failed its people,” she seethed. “How is your bail reform working????”
According to the New York Post, on July 19, EMT Julia Fatum, 25, responded to a cardiac arrest call on the city’s Upper West Side. She was in the process of transporting Garcia to the hospital when he allegedly pulled out a kitchen knife and began stabbing Fatum in the arm and leg.
Fatum’s mom posted an update on her daughter’s condition in which she thanked Fatum’s “EMT FAMILY” and the “first responders.”
“[D]ue to the situation and the severity of [Julia’s] injuries she has limited access and is highly protected-but I wanted to say that we SEE YOU. To all the first responders- we see standing behind the double doors of the ICU, WE SEE YOU, we appreciate you & your love hasn’t gone unnoticed,” Fatum-Grant wrote. “To the EMTS & police that have come up to me in the hospital telling me stories of Julia, you are hero’s. To Julia’s EMT FAMILY, I cannot thank you enough, it has given me such relief knowing that my small town girl isn’t alone in the big bad city, she has you guys.”
Fatum “has a long road to recover but she is the most resilient woman I know,” her mother continued, adding that “she is in serious yet stable condition & every day is better than the last.”
In an included statement, Fatum thanked her supporters.
“It’s been hard to get back to everyone but I feel so loved by you all. I’m stable and on the road to recovery,” she said. “I’ll update whenever I can. Love you all.”
On Tuesday, an elated Fatum-Grant announced that her daughter was being discharged.
A line of Fatum’s fellow EMTs holding signs that read, “We’re here for you Julia!” greeted her as she was wheeled out of Mount Sinai Hospital West.
“So insanely humbled, proud, and grateful,” Fatum-Grant wrote.
Fatum’s ordeal is just one of many endured by FDNY EMTs, The Post reports: “There have been 121 attacks on FDNY EMTs so far this year, according to the fire department.”
The terrifying aftermath of the attack on Fatum was caught on video obtained by The Post.
Fatum is seen screaming and crying as she collapses to the ground.
Garcia then goes back into the ambulance as a first responder yells, “What the hell is he doing? What are you doing?”
“Back off now!” the workers yell as Garcia again exits the ambulance. “Keep your hands down!”
Garcia then says, “I don’t know what happened.”
“You stabbed her, bro!” an EMS worker tells him.
At Garcia’s Friday arraignment, prosecutors stated that Fatum’s injuries to her chest, arm, and leg resulted in “significant” blood loss. She has suffered nerve damage in her thigh and will require additional surgery.
According to Assistant District Attorney Lauren Breen, following his arrest, Garcia told a detective that the EMTs “kidnapped” him and “are fake.” He insisted that he did not require medical help.
The Post reports:
According to police and prosecutors, Garcia’s criminal history includes eight prior arrests — the most recent in June after he was caught in a subway station with a knife hidden in his boot.
Garcia has two prior felony convictions for assaulting a police officer and three misdemeanor convictions, prosecutors said.
In 2017, he headbutted a cop who was trying to arrest him for allegedly punching his sister.
He also has a prior conviction for criminal possession of a weapon for carrying a boxcutter. Additional charges in Garcia’s rap sheet include menacing, drug possession and robbery.
The suspect was charged with attempted murder and held on $500,000 bail.
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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