Paramedic allegedly shoots two, administers first aid
(NECN: Josh Brogadir, Abington, Mass.) – It is not a story one hears every day: a Boston paramedic who allegedly admitted shooting his former work partner’s two brothers, then started to administer first aid on them. “Came outside, there were three men wrestling on the street. Two men were shot, one was shot in the leg, the other guy was shot in the chest. The third guy wrestling around was obviously the shooter. They were wrestling the gun away from him,” said eyewitness Joe LaPointe who lives on Bates Street in Abington. That’s how it ended. It began Saturday night when this man, 41-year-old Boston EMS paramedic Rhys Williams went to a party in Abington after a benefit at the Norwood Elks Lodge in honor of his former work partner, Mark Brinkman, who died in May following a brief illness. Now Williams faces two counts of assault with intent to murder Brinkman’s two brothers. “Mr. Williams immediately stated to the officer, I shot them. They gave me no choice, I shot them both. At this time, he was escorted from the scene and secured. He further stated to the sergeant on scene, I shot them, I had no choice, they made me do it,” said Plymouth County prosecutor Matthew Green. According to Plymouth County prosecutors, after a night of drinking, there was an argument between Rhys Williams and brothers Paul and John Brinkman in this North Avenue home early Sunday morning. The brothers asked him to leave and he did, but when he later returned about 7:30 am Sunday, another altercation started around the corner on Bates Street. “The defendant stated that John Brinkman threatened his life and was attempting to pull him out of the motor vehicle. He stated that it was at that time that he shot John Brinkman in the leg. After shooting John Brinkman in the leg, the defendant stated that Paul Brinkman came towards him at which point in time he shot Paul Brinkman in the chest,” Green said. Prosecutors say witnesses did not hear the Brinkmans threaten Williams. Joe LaPointe was asleep in his home across the street and heard the two shots fired, then saw what he describes as something bizarre. “After the gun was out of the picture, he actually went to the back of his car and pulled out an emergency bag and started doing first aid to his friends. It was bizarre, in the least it was a bizarre situation,” LaPointe said. Rhys Williams, who winced and sobbed through much of his arraignment in Brockton District Court is being held without bail until a dangerousness hearing Thursday. There’s still a lot to be sorted out with this case. Rhys Williams clearly had a relationship with the Brinkmans, he even gave Paul Brinkman a ride to Abington after the benefit. Paul Brinkman remains in a Boston Hospital. John Brinkman was treated at South Shore Hospital and released. Boston EMS said that Williams was on medical leave since July – and has now been placed on administrative leave.
