KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A woman is charged with stabbing and killing a Kansas City, Missouri, paramedic firefighter who tried to help her when she was placed in an ambulance early Sunday in the Northland.
Shanetta Bossell, 39, is charged in Clay County Court with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, third-degree assault and resisting arrest.
Bossell is accused of stabbing and killing Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department paramedic firefighter Graham Hoffman.
A judge set her bond at $1 million.
A court document states that Kansas City, Missouri, police officers were sent at about 12:40 a.m. Sunday to Missouri 152 Highway and North Oak Trafficway to check on the welfare of a person in the area.
The officers found Bossell walking on the shoulder of Missouri 152 Highway just east of North Oak Trafficway, the court document states.
Police ordered an ambulance be sent to their scene because Bossell had a laceration to a finger that was bleeding heavily.
Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department paramedics talked to Bossell and determined she wasn't trying to hurt herself and did not want to go to a hospital, the court documents state.
Police officers offered to give her a ride home, but she turned down those offers.
She changed her mind and agreed to go a hospital in the ambulance. Officers told the fire department paramedics they would follow the ambulance to the hospital, according to the court documents.
At 1:25 a.m., the driver of the ambulance turned on the unit's emergency lights, jumped out of the driver's seat and ran to the back doors of the ambulance.
According to the court documents, the driver yelled to the police officer following behind, "She has a knife."
The officer said he saw a struggle between Bossell and Hoffman and immediately called for more officers to come to the scene.
The officer said Bossell jumped into the ambulance's driver seat, trying unsuccessfully to put it in drive.
A struggle ensued between the officer and Bossell, as he tried to grab her legs. The court records say she slipped from his grip and ran to the back of the ambulance, where the officer cut her off. The officer said Bossell got back in the driver's seat again.
The officer pulled his weapon and grabbed Bossell with his other hand, causing both of them to fall. The officer said Bossell bit down on his arm hard and he hit her in the back of the head with his weapon so she would stop biting.
Meanwhile, the ambulance driver was trying to keep Hoffman alert but he was becoming non-responsive.
More officers got to the scene and detained Bossell.
A second ambulance arrived to take Hoffman, who suffered a life-threatening stab wound to his chest, to a hospital, the court documents state.
The knife believed to be used in Hoffman's murder was found in the walkway between the cab and the rear of the ambulance.
Kansas City, Missouri, police officers arrested Bossell less than a week ago on April 23 after she bit a police officer several times as he tried to arrest her.
She was charged with second-degree assault and resisting arrest in that incident. She posted bond and was released.
A few weeks before the April 23 incident, Bossell was issued a citation on March 31 for rear-ending another car and leaving the scene.
"I appreciate the swift work by Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson in filing charges, including first degree murder and armed criminal action, in connection with the tragic murder of Kansas City Firefighter Graham Hoffman. "Like many, I share concern that the defendant had within the past week been arrested and charged by prosecutors with felony assault on a law enforcement officer only to, based upon the allegations, return as a serious threat to the public and first responders only days later. I believe in our justice system and will await further information about all that led to this heartbreaking incident and all that could have been done to avoid it.
"In the meantime, I will continue discussion with KCFD, KCPD, and all of our first responders and emergency personnel to ensure we have reviewed our policies and provided every available tool to keep them safe as they protect all in our community."
A criminal history check done at the time of the arrest found Bossell had no felonies on record.
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