The mom of the teenager who was killed in the ‘autonomous zone’ in Seattle is suing the city after paramedics failed to respond because “the risk was too high.
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19-year-old Lorenzo Anderson suffered a gunshot wound while he was within CHOP, the autonomous zone that was for weeks abandoned by the police due to violent clashes and riots.
According to the victim’s mother, Donnitta Sinclair Martin, her son’s death was preventable and the city should be held responsible.
“[He] doesn’t deserve to be dead… and then he doesn’t deserve for the city to not do nothing,” the mom said in an interview with Q13 FOX.
“I just don’t know why they would say no, I don’t know, my mind is not wrapping around that part … I’m just confused but I most definitely feel like they are accountable for his death. I think if they would have tried to work on him, he could have been here.”
According to the city’s fire department, the paramedics could not be dispatched to the scene of the shooting because “the risk was too high to commit our crews to respond without a police escort.”
“Our mission is to save lives and protect property, but we must keep our firefighters and paramedics safe so we can continue to help people,” the department insisted.
Meanwhile, the police insisted their path was blocked by a violent mob, a statement backed up by bodycam footage of police officers. They also claimed they were later informed that the teen had been transported to the hospital by voluntary ‘medics’ in CHOP.
Following the death of Lorenzo, his mother is set on suing the city whereas her lawyer accused officials of “putting politics ahead of public safety.”
“It was foreseeable when the city abandoned the East Precinct that trouble would likely follow and they had no plan to deliver emergency services if there was trouble,” Attorney Mark Lindquist said.
“We do know Lorenzo was bleeding in the street for a considerable amount of time and with a gunshot wound, every minute can mean life or death.
“Politics got ahead of public safety here. City leaders seemed to be more focused on their own agenda than on the safety of the community.
“Lorenzo bled out on the street while medics were less than a football field away. I’m confident those medics wanted to help but the city had no plan in place so that they could help.”
Replaced!