Graham Hoffman, a 29-year-old firefighter-paramedic with the Kansas City Fire Department (KCFD), tragically lost his life on April 27, 2025, after being fatally stabbed by a patient he was transporting in an ambulance. The incident occurred during a routine medical call when Hoffman was stabbed in the chest by 39-year-old Shanetta Bossell, who had been found walking along a highway and was being taken to Saint Luke’s Hospital .
Despite immediate efforts by his partner and other first responders, Hoffman succumbed to his injuries at North Kansas City Hospital . Bossell was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, assault, and resisting arrest. She had been released on bond just days earlier for allegedly biting a police officer during a separate incident .
Hoffman, who joined the KCFD in 2022, was remembered as a dedicated and compassionate professional . His death has deeply affected the Kansas City community, prompting an outpouring of grief and tributes from colleagues and officials.
