One year after being shot twice responding to a call in South Dallas, Dallas Fire-Rescue firefighter and paramedic William An is still recovering. His memories of that day remain hazy, largely pieced together by stories of others who were there.
“I do remember being in the back of the cop car, because he (the officer) was constantly asking me what hurts to keep me conscious and talking and I remember telling him my arm, my leg, I can’t breathe,” said An.
The shots were fired by Derrick Lamont Brown who had shot and killed his roommate and a neighbor who An was treating when he too came under fire. One bullet hit his leg, shattering all its bones and severing his femoral artery and another bullet cut through his arm, also severing an artery.
“I honestly never thought I’d get hurt in this way, getting shot or shot at never really crossed my mind,” An said.