Blane Salamoni, the Baton Rouge Police officer who fatally shot Alton Sterling in 2016, once prevented EMS from saving a shooting victim in 2014 by misleading them about the patient’s status, and harassing them when they did respond, according to a report released today by Sterling's family.
The report is found in a complaint filed by an EMS worker who says Salamoni delayed the team, telling them the victim had died and told them not to respond while the victim was reportedly still writhing on the ground.
Due to "misinformation provided" by Officer Salamoni, "the victim of the shooting was left in the street shaking and gasping for air with no one running to his aid," according to the complaint.
Attorney Chris Stewart, who is representing the family in a civil case against the city of Baton Rouge, says after misleading EMS about the patient’s status, Salamoni became hostile to the responding paramedic who arrived to treat the victim of the shooting.
"Officer Salamoni began cursing at her, yelling at her, when she began questioning why they were told not to try and save the patient," said Stewart.
"Officer Salamoni was rude, demeaning, unprofessional and provoking," reads the complaint from the paramedic.
The attorney said it serves as just one of several disturbing incidents involving Salamoni that should have resulted in the officer's termination before the Alton Sterling incident ever happened. Salamoni was eventually fired for his actions in the Sterling incident but reached a settlement with the Department last week where he retroactively resigned and is barred from policing in Baton Rouge.
Salamoni was reportedly not disciplined for his actions in 2014, and Stewart says it is an indictment against those who still support the former officer.
"This is who people are still defending," said Stewart. "The Union can’t defend an individual like this, people in the community can’t defend an individual like this. This is who City Council is defending by not settling this case."
The case is set to go to trial in 2020, barring any prior settlement.