Man Punches Fla. Medic, Prompting Standoff

FORT LAUDERDALE, July 18 -- A man who police say struck a Fort Lauderdale firefighter in the face early Thursday barricaded himself in an apartment, prompting police to cordon off a neighborhood.

About 6:30 a.m., Fort Lauderdale police officers responded to a report that a firefighter was struck by a man during a medical call.

Aiming to apprehend the person, officers cordoned off part of a neighborhood, in the 1400 block of Northwest 21st Street.

The police barricade situation ended about 7:40 a.m., when a man was walked out in handcuffs from an apartment.

Alphonso Paul, a neighbor, said he heard police saying, "Come out! Come out!" He said his neighbor lives with his ill wife and a teenager. Paul said paramedics often show up to his neighbor's home.

A Fort Lauderdale Police spokeswoman said more information about the incident would be available later.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Division Chief Robert Bacic said the firefighter-paramedic "is fine. He wasn't injured."

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