Hours after gunfire erupted at a shopping mall in Greenwood, Indiana, killing four people on July 17, a volley of shots rang out in a Beech Grove public park. At the time, Beech Grove medics were still assisting with the aftermath of the shooting at the Greenwood Park Mall, seven miles away. That left four Beech Grove victims waiting about 20 minutes for ambulances, at least twice the usual response time to most scenes, the city’s deputy police chief, Tom Hurrle, said.
“We have come to grips with the fact that all public safety is hurting for personnel,” Hurrle said, adding that it’s fortunate that no one died because of the delayed medical response. But he worries “maybe we won’t be as lucky” if a similar situation recurs in the Indianapolis suburbs.
