An alleged drunk and disoriented man riding in the back of an ambulance is accused of shooting an EMT member in the shoulder while en route to a hospital in Staten Island late Wednesday, authorities say.
Crews from Richmond University Medical Center responded to a call of a disorderly person at the Funkey Monkey Lounge on Forest Avenue, later identified as Thomas McCauley, 37, around 8 p.m.
According to police, McCauley appeared to be drunk in front of the bar and lost consciousness when EMTs arrived to assist him. They put him in an ambulance and were on their way to the hospital, when McCauley allegedly woke up and at some point pulled out a gun and shot one of the emergency personnel trying to help him in the shoulder, cops say.
McCauley then got out of the ambulance and ran away, but was tackled by one man -- a retired NYPD detective and off-duty sanitation worker, police said. He is in custody at a local precinct; charges are pending.
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Police released a photo of the weapon recovered at the scene.
Attorney information for McCauley wasn't immediately known.
The 25-year-old EMT works for Richmond University Medical Center. The hospital said he was in stable condition in the trauma department after being shot in the back. He is expected to be discharged Thursday afternoon.
