** South African paramedic who was gunned down outside his home named
** Minnesota paramedic who stole morphine from EMS vials escapes prison;given probation instead
SOUTH AFRICA NEWS
** Eastern Cape police have issued a public alert for information leading to the gunmen who killed an off duty paramedic and his police detective friend last week. The Sowetan Live (July 16) said authorities have also now named the two men, with the EMS provider identified as Netcare 911 medic Ishmael Phumeza, 39, and the policeman as Sgt. Mzwabantu Xhathasi, also 39. According to the newspaper, the duo were gunned down in the former’s New Brighton driveway last Wednesday. Police spokesman MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Ms Weziwe Tikana said the two mens’ deaths were a huge loss for the community. Tikana also said the case is now a high priority to solve.
UNITED STATES NEWS
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** A Richfield, Minnesota paramedic has escaped prison after being convicted of stealing morphine and hydromorphone from vials stocked by his ambulance service. The Fergus Falls Journal (July 17) said Matthew Peterson, 39, was sentenced in Federal Court Thursday. According to the news site, Peterson replaced the meds with saline after first extracting the drug with a needle. The US Attorney’s Office said approximately 100 ampoules had been tampered with over a five month period in 2013. Indicted last August, he pleaded guilty in November to obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Rather than incarceration, he faces only 3 years probation.
