A person ambushed and killed two MAST ambulance workers early today in
Edwardsville as they returned to their station after answering a medical
call. Police said they are seeking a suspect they have identified. They
released no further information on the suspect.
Katherine Malone, 30, a paramedic, and Tye Brown, 33, an emergency medical
technician, were stationed at a fire station at 600 S. 110th St ., said
Eric
Dooley, a MAST spokesman.
Shortly after midnight the two had returned from a call and a dispatcher
tried unsuccessfully to contact them. The dispatcher tried to reach them
by
paging, then telephoning and by radio. There was no answer. Firefighters,
who no longer use that particular station, were asked to check on Malone
and
Brown and discovered their bodies.
Flags at MAST facilities were flown at half-staff this morning.
The ambulance service isn't contemplating any changes in procedure at this
point, Dooley said.
"There's nothing we could have done to prevent it," he said. "It was a
premeditated ambush. Short of having an armed police officer with us all
of
the time, there's nothing we could have done. Their station is like their
home, and they expect to be safe in their home."
Dooley said area emergency medical services had offered assistance if MAST
needs personnel to fill gaps if workers decide they want to take time off.
MAST has peer counselors and professionals meeting with its members to
help
them cope with the situation.
So far none has decided to forgo working, Dooley said. "Everyone is doing
an
excellent job of what they do every day, which is helping people," he
said.
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