Officer having ‘anxiety attack’ took ambulance sent for man dying from police shooting, report says

A man who was shot by police and later died had to wait an additional 10 minutes for an ambulance after a police officer suffering from a “mild anxiety attack” took the first ambulance on the scene, according to a newly released government investigation.

Dyshan Best, 39, was shot in the back while running from police in Bridgeport, Connecticut, last year. A report released Tuesday by the state inspector general found the attack was justified because Best had a gun and the officer pursuing him had reason to fear for his safety.

But the report raised questions about what happened after the March 31 shooting that left Best, who is black, bleeding to death with massive internal bleeding.

The first ambulance called to take Best to the hospital arrived at the scene at 18:02, approximately 14 minutes after the scene. But at the insistence of other officers, the ambulance was used to take away Erin Perrotta, the white police officer involved in the foot chase, the report said.

Paramedics reported that Perrotta refused treatment in the ambulance.

“I’m fine, I just needed to get out of here,” he said, according to the report. Another officer described Perrotta at the time as “visibly hysterical (crying and breathing rapidly) and with blood all over her uniform,” the report said.

The second ambulance arrived at the scene around 18.12. Hospital records state that Best was brought for treatment at 6:22 p.m., approximately 14 minutes after Perrotta arrived at the hospital.

Best died at 7:41 p.m. while receiving treatment for a gunshot wound that damaged his liver and right kidney.

Chief Inspector Eliot Prescott’s report did not say whether the delay in waiting for another ambulance contributed to Best’s death.

Tatiana Barrett, one of Best’s nieces, told the Associated Press that the report’s revelations angered and upset her family and friends. They believe he could survive if he was taken to hospital in the first ambulance.

“It’s honestly heartbreaking to hear all these details,” he said. “We were looking for justice. We don’t know what justice looks like in our society. We want justice for my uncle. We truly believe he was murdered.”

Bridgeport police spokeswoman Shawnna White declined to comment Wednesday when asked about Perrotta getting the first ambulance. The police department’s Internal Affairs Division will conduct its own investigation, he said in an email.

Perrotta is not currently on administrative leave for an unrelated matter that White did not disclose.

Phone and email messages were left Wednesday for Perrotta, Mayor Joe Ganim’s office, Prescott’s office, the city police union and Best’s family’s attorney, Darnell Crosland.

The series of events began when someone called 911 to report a fight involving about 30 people, including gunmen. A witness pointed officers to two men in an SUV and said they had guns, the report said.

Perrotta approached the passenger side of the vehicle and opened the door. Best is seen in police body camera video holding a bottle of alcohol, a vape pen and a cellphone in the passenger seat. The video shows Perrotta asking Best to get out of the SUV and look at him. Best gets out of the vehicle and runs away, with police chasing him.

During the chase, Best pulled out a 9mm handgun, the report said. As he ran into an area full of disabled cars, the police officer chasing him, Yoon Heo, fired his gun twice, hitting Best once.

The lead investigator concluded, based on video evidence, that the shooting was justified because Best pointed his gun at Heo as he ran.

In the videos, Best can be seen saying “I was shot” while he was injured on the ground. Heo replies, “You pulled a gun on me,” but Best says, “No, I didn’t.” Heo then says, “Yes you did.” A gun was found near Best at the scene, Prescott said.

After the shooting, Crosland, the family’s attorney, disputed that Best had a gun and claimed he was holding a vape pen instead. Police body camera video clearly shows Best with a gun in his hand, Prescott said.

Best’s nephew, Barrett, said he was a truck driver and had returned to his hometown of Bridgeport to attend a friend’s funeral.