Nationwide — Dyshan Best, an African American man from Bridgeport, Connecticut, was shot in the back by police during a foot chase and had to wait for over 10 minutes for medical attention after an officer having an anxiety attack took the first ambulance. He later died in the hospital from his injuries.
On March 31, 2025, officers responded to a report of a fight involving 30 people at a funeral parking lot. Witnesses said Best had brandished a gun during the chaos. Officers Erin Perrotta, 24, and Yoon Heo, 28, approached him while he sat in a Chevy Tahoe holding a bottle of cognac, a vape pen, and a cell phone.
Best got out as ordered, but suddenly ran. Officers chased him through a gas station parking lot and tried to tase him. During the pursuit, he dropped his belongings and lost his shoes. The chase ended in a junkyard, where Best raised a handgun while fleeing. Officer Heo fired two shots, and one struck Best in the lower back, injuring his liver and kidney.
According to Atlanta Black Star, bodycam footage showed Best lying on the pavement after the shooting, speaking to officers, and struggling to breathe. Meanwhile, Perrotta experienced a panic attack, described by Sgt. Erica Spike was hysterical, crying, and covered in blood. The first ambulance arrived 14 minutes later, but was told to treat Perrotta first. She refused care but was transported to the hospital anyway.
The second ambulance reached Best 10 minutes later. Fire department EMTs had packed his wound, and he was rushed to Bridgeport Hospital. Despite emergency surgery, he died at 7:41 p.m. The Inspector General’s report did not determine whether the delay affected his survival, though his family and community members believe it did.
Best’s family expressed heartbreak and disappointment. His niece said they believe he might have survived with faster care. Advocates criticized the decision to prioritize the officer, calling it a stark example of policing failing to provide timely medical help to a Black man in critical condition.