Cleveland EMS assault leads to a self-defense training as reports of rising attacks on first responders

CLEVELAND — After a Cleveland paramedic was violently assaulted and dragged by her hair during an emergency call, a local police department is stepping in with a potential solution: specialized self-defense training tailored for unarmed first responders.

The University Circle Police Department offered a free self-defense course at its training facility, open to paramedics, EMTs and crisis intervention specialists from across the region.

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The training comes as Cleveland EMS faces a rising number of assaults, with 30 EMTs attacked since early 2023, Commander Jonathan Wearstler said.

“We respond to over a hundred thousand calls a year for service,” Wearstler said. “And in the past two years, w