KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A new proposed bill honoring fallen Kansas City firefighter/paramedic Graham Hoffman aims to protect first responders from violence.
Hoffman, a three-year veteran of the Kansas City Fire Department, died after being stabbed by a patient during an ambulance transport on April 27.
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The Graham Hoffman Act, introduced by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), would make any assault on a police officer, firefighter or EMS provider a federal crime.
“Graham Hoffman was a courageous firefighter/paramedic whose life was tragically cut short at the hands of a known criminal who had been released from custody shortly before the attack,” Schmitt said in a statement. “This tragic loss underscores the urgent need to protect our first responders, who put their lives on the line to serve our communities.”
Legislators hope the bill will serve as a deterrent to anyone considering violence against a public safety professional.
“First responders put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe, and they deserve our protection when they answer the call to help others,” Hassan said in a statement. “This bill honors the memory of fallen heroes by holding criminals that attack those who serve and protect our communities fully accountable for their crimes and sending a clear message that targeting and attacking first responders will not be tolerated.”
