The city of Hamilton has fired two paramedics who were criminally charged last week for their response to the December 2017 fatal shooting of Yosif Al-Hasnawi, according the paramedics’ union president.

Steven Snively, 53, of Hamilton and Christopher Marchant, 29, of Whitby were terminated effective Wednesday, says Mario Posteraro, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union Local 256 that represents Hamilton paramedics.

“This harsh and unjust action will be grieved by the union in an effort right this wrong,” Posteraro said in a statement Wednesday.

Snively and Marchant are to appear in Hamilton court Sept. 11 after being charged with failing to provide the necessities of life in their care of the 19-year-old Brock University student who was shot around 9 p.m. Dec. 2, 2017, on Sanford Ave. North when he tried to stop two men from harassing an older man.

Witnesses, including family members, allege the paramedics did not believe Al-Hasnawi had been shot, including laughing and telling him to get up.

Related: Family of slain Good Samaritan suing Hamilton police, paramedics and hospital

Hamilton police previously said records showed it took 38 minutes from the time paramedics arrived on scene to when they arrived at St. Joseph’s Hospital. There has never been a public explanation for why paramedics did not transport him the Hamilton General Hospital, which is closer to the shooting scene and the regional trauma centre.

St. Joseph’s said in its statement of defence to a lawsuit launched by the family that Al-Hasnawi was already without vital signs when he arrived in hospital, and that despite efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead 19 minutes later.

Niagara Regional Police Service launched an investigation at the request of Hamilton police several weeks after the homicide and laid charges Aug. 2.

“The employer had a number options it could have exercised while the criminal charges were being dealt with through the courts,” Posteraro said. “Instead, they decided to throw two of their paramedics, under the bus, by terminating their employment.”

Both paramedics have worked in Hamilton for between eight and 10 years, have had positive performance appraisals every year, without any past issues, Posteraro said at the time they were charged.

Hamilton’s paramedic service did its own investigation which led to the terminations says the union.

“The union believes that the employer’s investigative process including multiple interviews with the two paramedics was focused on finding fault, not on finding facts,” Posteraro said. “This latest action sends a disappointing and unfortunate message to the city of Hamilton’s paramedics and all paramedics provincially, that bad patient outcomes may not only result in criminal charges, but now, termination of employment as well.”

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