Photo:

Kansas City Fire Department

A Kansas City firefighter paramedic has died after allegedly being stabbed by a patient he was transporting to a local hospital.

Early Sunday morning on April 27, Graham Hoffman, 29, was stabbed in the heart while transporting a patient on what began as a seemingly routine medical call, city officials said in a news release.

Kansas City Fire Department crews worked together to try to save Hoffman’s life on the way to the hospital. He was moved into surgery at the hospital and later succumbed to his injuries, authorities said.

Authorities say the stabbing took place after police were dispatched early on Sunday to check on a woman who was walking along a section of highway near North Oak Trafficway, The New York Times reported.

Officers found the woman and requested help from emergency medical services for treatment, the outlet reported. While en route to the hospital, the patient allegedly “produced an edged weapon” and stabbed Hoffman, the release says.

The suspect is in custody but has not been publicly named, according to city officials.

“At just 29, Graham embodied Kansas City’s finest quality — selfless service for others. That he was taken from us while working to save lives makes this loss all the more painful,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said.

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Hoffman had been with the Kansas City Fire Department since 2022, according to the news release.

“Today, we mourn the loss of Firefighter Paramedic Graham Hoffman, a brave public servant who dedicated his life to helping others. His courage, compassion, and commitment to our community will never be forgotten,” Interim City Manager Kimiko Gilmore said.