Virginia firefighter medic is charged with assault after police bodycam caught him PUNCHING a homeless man on the way to hospital
A firefighter has been charged with assaulting a patient in the back of a medical vehicle while they were being transported to a Virginia hospital.
Footage of Fairfax County Firefighter Andrew Cruikshank appearing to strike the man was captured on a body camera worn by a Fairfax County Police Department officer who was present at the time.
The victim – who says in the video that he does not have a residence or a family - was in the custody of the police department when the medical emergency occurred.
The disagreement occurred after the victim claimed the firefighter was probing too much for personal information and subsequently threatens to shoot the firefighter in the face.
Fairfax County Firefighter Andrew Cruikshank has been charged with one count of misdemeanor assault
At the time the patient is handcuffed and earlier in the video appeared to be in mental distress as he arrived with puncture wounds and declared that he wanted to die.
One of the men is later heard teasing the patient that he probably doesn't know how to use a gun and asks when was the last time he touched one.
The patient insinuates the authorities are taking an inappropriate line of questioning and stutters. They then make fun of the patient stumbling over his words.
As tensions bubble Cruikshank wipes his own arm with a swab then throws it in the patient's face. The cop holds down the patient's arm and one person then tells the victim, 'I hope you spit.'
The cop then covers the patient's mouth and Cruikshank hits him.
The patient attempts to hit back while restricted to the stretcher then his head is covered with what appears to be a towel. The firefighter appears to push swabs into areas of the patient's face but it is not visible exactly where they are applied.
At one point the patient seems to express that he's uncomfortable with anything being placed over his head but the officer responds claiming that the patient assaulted and spat on the medic.
Bodycam worn by a police officer shows them arguing with the homeless man and making fun of the patient stumbling over his words as he insinuates the authorities are taking an inappropriate line of questioning
Cruikshank is seen wiping his own arm with a swab and throwing it at the patient on the way to hospital before punching him while a cop holds him down
After the victim made the complaint, the same police department looked into footage from around 6am on September 14 before deciding to charge the firefighter with one count of misdemeanor assault.
The Fairfax County Police Department has now authorized the public release of the video. It's unclear whether the police officer or others in the vehicle will face any discipline.
Cruikshank has been with the department for two years. He has been placed on leave pending an internal administrative investigation.
'This action goes against the values we hold at the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department,' Fire Chief Butler said in a statement. 'We respect our role in the community and strive to build and maintain public trust.
'We remain dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of our community and will continue to ensure that our members are held to the highest standards of the profession.'
Ron Kuley, president of the local firefighter's union told the Washington Post that the video doesn't 'portray a true picture of what actually happened.'
Police looked into footage from around 6am on September 14 before deciding to charge the firefighter with one count of misdemeanor assault