A retired paramedic breaks down after leaving a letter about the dangers of his profession outside the McDonald’s restaurant where a young colleague was stabbed to death.
A NSW paramedic, 29, was pulling into the car park of Queen St, Campbeltown restaurant in south-west Sydney at around 5:30am to have coffee with a colleague when he was stabbed repeatedly in the abdomen.
The victim was said to have been on probation and filling out paperwork before the end of his night shift when he was targeted by the knife man.
The police suspect that the attacker opened the door and attacked the paramedic. The victim is said to be from the nearby suburb of Camden.
At the front of the restaurant, visibly emotional ex-paramedic Scott Fogarty told Daily Mail Australia: ‘I didn’t know him personally, but I’m a retired medical paramedic from Campbeltown station and my colleagues mean everything to me.
“It’s just devastating. We go to work helping people in need and all we want is to go home in one piece to our families.”
The letter Mr Fogarty left behind, along with a bunch of flowers, pays tribute to the victim who ‘paid the ultimate price’ – shedding light on the harrowing scenes witnessed by many paramedics.
A retired paramedic, Scott Fogarty, has laid flowers and a letter of solidarity (pictured) at the scene of the stabbing and eventual death of a 29-year-old paramedic in Campbeltown on Friday
“We know the dangers and are unfortunately exposed to those dangers far too often,” the letter reads.
“Unfortunately for this young man, his duty and career have ended much too soon because of what we all fear on duty.
“I am absolutely devastated, angry and heartbroken for my paramedic brother.
‘Prayers for you brother, your service is over, rest in peace!’
Paul Murphy, an area fire and safety engineer, also laid flowers outside the police cordon because his paramedic son-in-law knew the victim personally.
“It turned us upside down. My son-in-law knows him,’ he said.
“It’s a tight-knit community — all the paramedics usually know each other.”
Mr. Murphy, who, out of respect for the victim’s family, declined to say anything more.
“It’s pretty alarming what they (paramedics) have to put up with.”
The paramedic had been rushed to hospital after being stabbed during an early morning attack
NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan said it is currently an “extremely difficult time” for the victim’s family and colleagues.
Commissioner Morgan said he met the paramedic’s mother, father, wife and sister this morning who are “besides themselves.”
He said the man’s father had told him that he knew he wanted to be a paramedic from the age of five.
It was a dream he fulfilled just 12 months ago.
“He wanted nothing more than to serve his community,” Commissioner Morgan said.
‘He was with us for a relatively short time and had recently learned that he had been transferred back to south-west Sydney.
“I was told he was so happy to be able to stay here and raise his family.”
NSW Secretary of Health Susan Pearce (pictured) broke down at a press conference on Friday
NSW Health Minister Susan Pearce burst into tears as she offered her condolences to the victim’s family.
“The health system is one big family and to lose someone like this is just incomprehensible to us,” she said
“And to lose someone in this way is incomprehensible to us.
“I want to express my deepest condolences to the paramedic’s wife and family.”
Ms. Pearce said the state’s health system has been through a lot in recent years and she is proud of all the employees who continue to show up every day to help other members of the community.
Deputy Commissioner Lanyon said the 21-year-old man may have been driving a blue Honda Jazz Civic in the Ingleburn and Campbeltown areas prior to the incident and urged the public to come forward if they had seen the vehicle.
The NSW Ambulance paramedic was stabbed outside a McDonald’s on Queen Street in Campbelltown, Sydney’s southwest, at 5:30am on Friday
Asked if the man in custody was known to police, Mr Lanyon said: ‘He is only known to us through a few interactions.’
Police cordoned off a crime scene at the McDonalds and urged the public to avoid the area.
Just after 11 a.m., two men were allowed to leave the cordon, one of whom turned out to be the manager of McDonald’s.
He said he was told not to talk to the media, but when asked if the paramedic would be okay, he said, “We don’t know.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the stabbing was a “terrible situation” for emergency services.
“It’s a reminder that it’s a very difficult and dangerous job,” he said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Police tasered a 21-year-old suspect at the scene, arrested him and took him to Campbelltown Police Station by police, no charges have been filed