‘Stabbed paramedic recovering in hospital’

AMMAN — A 23-year-old Civil Defence Department (CDD) paramedic, who was allegedly stabbed on Wednesday by a man he was trying to rescue in Balqa Governorate, is recovering at hospital, official sources said.

The paramedic, with the rank of corporal, was part of a team that rushed to rescue a man who called for help saying he was suffering from poisoning in a neighbourhood in Salt, according to Balqa CDD Director Col. Walid Saoub. 

When the team arrived, Saoub told The Jordan Times, the paramedics discovered that the case was not poisoning but “probably related to illegal drugs or alcohol consumption”. 

“The corporal radioed in to inform our headquarters that it was not a poisoning case and the suspect heard him, then pulled out a switchblade and stabbed him once in the waist,” the CDD official said.

He added that the other CDD paramedics overpowered the suspect and the police were called in.

“Had we known that it was not a poisoning incident and that it was related to illegal activities, we would have coordinated with the police,” Saoub noted.

The CDD official said the injured corporal’s condition was stable and he “will remain in the King Hussein Medical Centre’s ICU [intensive care unit] for further medical observation”.

The corporal has been serving at the CDD rescue unit for the past four years, according to Saoub.

Public Security Department Spokesperson Maj. Amer Sartawi confirmed that the 35-year-old suspect was in police custody pending further investigation.

“We are questioning the suspect and have sent blood samples to the criminal lab for further analysis,” Sartawi told The Jordan Times.