Firefighters jump from balcony when man in distress pulls gun on them, TX officials say
Two Houston firefighters jumped from a balcony when a man they were providing medical assistance to pulled a gun on them, officials said.
“Fearing for their lives, two firefighters jumped from a 2nd story balcony stairwell onto the ground, causing injury,” Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Pena said in a Jan. 28 post on X, formerly Twitter.
Jaime Marquez, 23, threatened the paramedics while they were responding to an EMS call around 11 p.m. on Jan. 27, according to the Houston Police Department.
“We believe that the person was coming out of a seizure, was very confused, felt like someone was there to not help, but harm him,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said in a press conference shared by KRIV.
As paramedics prepared to take him to the hospital, Marquez told them he needed to get one more item from his bedroom, according to Whitmire.
“They heard a pistol being cocked and that’s when they took off for their survival,” he said.
Injuries to the firefighters included a broken shoulder blade, scrapes, and bruises, according to Marty Lancton, President of the Houston Professional Firefighters Association.
Marquez is charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a public servant, Houston police said.
McClatchy News reached out to Marquez’s attorney for comment on Jan. 29 but did not receive an immediate response.
The incident is under investigation by the Houston Police Department.
This story was originally published January 29, 2024 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Firefighters jump from balcony when man in distress pulls gun on them, TX officials say."
