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Boston EMT accused of double shooting, then administering aid

E-mail|Link|Comments () September 21, 2009 03:05 PM

(Justin Hunt for The Boston Globe)

The scene of the shooting on Sunday morning.

By Brian R. Ballou and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

ABINGTON -- A Boston EMT has been accused of shooting two of his friends after a night of drinking at a fund-raiser before grabbing his medical kit and helping to administer first aid.

The EMT, Rhys Williams, 41, is accused of shooting two brothers during an argument early Sunday morning after he was thrown out of the party. Both brothers are expected to survive, although Paul Brinkman, 36, remains in poor condition at South Shore Hospital after being shot in the chest. When police arrived at 7:46 a.m. on Bates Street, Williams stood with gauze in his hand while the victims' wives gave their husbands first aid.

"I certainly find it disturbing that somebody with an EMS background trained to save lives would do this," said Chief David G. Majenski of the Abington Police Department at a press conference this morning.

The Dorchester resident was arraigned today in Brockton District Court on charges that include two counts of armed with intent to murder or maim, two counts of assault and battery with dangerous weapon, and carrying a firearm while intoxicated. He was ordered held until a dangerousness hearing Thursday.

Williams has worked for Boston EMS since 2002, but had been out on leave because of a shoulder injury. When the department learned of his arrest, Williams was placed on administrative leave, according to a statement released by Boston EMS.

The events that led to the shooting began on Saturday night at the Norwood Elks Club, where Williams had helped the two Brinkman brothers organize a fund-raiser for the family of a third brother, Mark Brinkman, who died in May after a brief illness. Mark Brinkman worked for Boston EMS and the benefit, which cost $20 at the door, raised money for a scholarship fund for his son, according to a posting on Facebook, the soical networking site.

After the fund-raiser, the party moved to a home on North Street in Abington in a home owned by Paul Keating, police said. An argument ensued, and Williams was asked to leave. He eventually drove around the corner. The confrontation occurred as Williams sat in his 2009 Subaru Outback drinking a cup of coffee, police said. Keating and the Brinkman brothers approached the car and an argument erupted.

Someone on the outside of the car broke the windshield, police said, but it was not immediately clear by who, police said. At one point, the driver's side door was opened, but again it was not clear who pulled the handle of the car, police said.

Williams allegedly used a Glock 9 mm handgun to fire two shots, striking John Brinkman, 42, of Quincy, in the right leg and Paul Brinkman, 36, of Hanover, in the chest, just below the sternum, police said. Williams is registered to carry the gun and told police that he had kept it locked in his glove box until the argument.