A Drunk Story

 Back in November....this incident occurred up in the Kassel region (northern Hessen).  

The simple facts?  

One drunk Syrian arrived 'home' at his refugee center.  He'd been out 'partying' (extremely).  

From what the cops say....they were called because he was out of control (at least that's how HR tells the story).  The folks in the center were fearful for their lives.  So they called the police, and along with them....one ambulance was dispatched.

Some guys, when drunk....are happy people (even telling jokes).  Some guys, when drunk....are geared to find a bench and just sleep for twelve hours.  And some guys are dismal drunks....violent in nature and wanting to harm anyone trying to help them.  This guy was from the last group.

So as the police and ambulance crew arrive....he just won't stop his violent act.  He's gotten a step-ladder and swinging it around to hurt people, and he's spitting on just about anyone coming near him.

Pepper-spray is used (by the police).

I won't suggest that it's a great tactic to use it on drunks.  From what I've noted in life....it just aggravates inebriated people even more.  

Somehow, this gets the guy on the ground, and then the police (with the ambulance crew) are mostly just tangling with him....to get him tied-up (bound) and then dumped upon the patient gurney that the ambulance crew had brought along.

No one says much, but I would imagine with the aggressive state that this guy was in....he was still spitting on everyone (including the ambulance crew).

So when they are done (there's a cam in the refugee center which captures this moment)....the one guy with the ambulance crew is peeved (probably getting more than a spit or two).  He's low on patience. 

The Syrian guy is firmly tied to the gurney, and the ambulance crew guy takes one good long swing....hitting the guy in the cheek area.  Double-fracture of the cheekbones because of this.

The video?  It has upset a number of folks.....the police should have done something about the ambulance driver....that's the hype.

The ambulance guy?  He's been fired by the company (he's forty-four years old, so you can't make the case of a brash decision by a 20-something guy).  

The public prosecutor in Kassel?  Well....he said (for public commentary) that the refugee himself is up on an investigation for the assault on the ambulance crew (there is a law about assaulting emergency personnel existing).

There's also an investigation about resistance to police officers (there's a law about that as well).

There's an investigation about damage done to the refugee center (public property destruction has a law as well).

So finally, you come to investigation on the ambulance crew for suspicion of bodily harm, and the police action done.

If you add it up....easily a thousand man-hours of investigation and legal work here, before you even get to court action.

This drawing more attention because of the video?  Yes.  This drawing more attention because of the attack on the tied-up refugee guy?  Yes.  

If the prosecutor goes down the list....as much as the ambulance guy might end up with a couple of months in jail....the Syrian guy might also end up with some jail time.  

Pretty crazy mess, but that's the life and landscape of these ambulance crews now....as they get drawn into more and more of these drug or alcohol binges of people in Germany (going way past just refugee center problems).  It's not a pleasant job, and each one of these episodes drains a bit of patience out of you.