Pittsburgh Chief to Examine Slow Shooting Response

Oct. 15--Pittsburgh's acting EMS chief said today that he is reviewing the paramedic response to a fatal Glen Hazel shooting earlier this week, following questions from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"I certainly wish that it was quicker," acting Chief Mark Bocian said. "I don't think it would have changed the outcome. Coming from those distances, I'm not sure what we could have done differently."

Chief Bocian said the department reviews its call-response times monthly. On average, he said, ambulances reach people involved in high-priority calls, such as shootings, stabbings and cardiac arrest, seven minutes after they are dispatched.

On Monday, 12 minutes elapsed between the time the first ambulance was dispatched and the time an ambulance first arrived at the shooting scene near the intersection of Johnston Avenue and Roselle Drive.

One man, 22-year-old Marcus Critten, died at the shooting scene, and a second man was taken to UPMC Presbyterian. Mr. Critten had been shot multiple times in the trunk, according to the Allegheny County medical examiner's office.

Chief Bocian said the closest unit at the time of the shooting was in Homewood's western section and was the first sent to the scene. Dispatchers pulled another unit off an assignment at UPMC Mercy to head to the shooting scene, he said.

Other units assigned to areas closer to the scene were out on other calls at the time, the chief said.

Liz Navratil: lnavratil@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1438 or on Twitter @LizNavratil.

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