The city of Hamilton has fired two paramedics facing criminal charges in connection with last December’s death of Yosif Al-Hasnawi. 29 year old Chris Marchant and 53-year old Steve Snively were charged last week with failing to provide the necessaries of life.
This afternoon their union president Mario Posteraro revealed their employment with the City of Hamilton was being terminated, effective today. Posteraro calls the dismissals harsh and unjust action that will be grieved by the union. Posteraro says”the city had a number options it could have exercised while the criminal charges were being dealt with through the courts. Instead, they decided to throw 2 of their Paramedics under the bus”. Marchant and Snively had been on administrative leave since the shooting.
Al-Hasnawi was shot while trying to stop an older man from being harassed outside his mosque. Witnesses including members of his family alleged that paramedics accused him of faking his injuries, telling him to get up from the ground.
It took 38 minutes from the time paramedics arrived on scene to when the ambulance arrived at St. Joseph’s hospital. Al-Hasnawi was pronounced dead 19 minutes later.
In a CHCH News exclusive last week, that a number of healthcare sources told us there was chaos at the hospital that night and they weren’t prepared, because that morning, they had launched a new digital system and employees were still getting acquainted with it. CHCH News was also told Al-Hasnawi was not given a blood transfusion.
Hamilton Paramedic Services would not confirm the pair have been fired, saying only that their investigation into the matter has been concluded, and they won’t be providing details. But CHCH has learned that an internal memo was sent out to staff by the acting Paramedics Chief.
Hamilton Police have charged 19-yr-old Dale Burningsky King with second degree murder and 20-yr-old James Matheson with accessory after the fact to murder.
The Al-Hasnawi family has launched a $10-million lawsuit, claiming St. Joes failed to administer proper treatment. The hospital maintains they are not responsible for his death, saying all life-saving measures were taken.
