Paramedic lies about helping victims of Boston bombing

A paramedic with the St. Louis Fire Departmentapologized Tuesday after he lied about helping victims at the scene of the Boston bombing in 2013, according to the department.

Paramedic Shawn Daniel told his supervisors he rushed to help bombing victims after the April 15, 2013, attack that injured hundreds, even going so far as to show them a photo that he claimed was of him caring for a victim.

But after a now-deletedFacebook post went viral, Daniel’s story was proved to be a lie.

In a Jan. 18Facebook post, St. Louis Fire DepartmentpraisedDaniel as a “hometown hero,” a regular feature to introduce department personnel. The post said “ShawnDaniel was amongst the many emergency responders who ran towards the blast site to assist the injured.”

Shortly after the post went public, several members of the first responder community in Boston and New Hampshire questioned whether Daniel was really there.

An internal investigation proved Daniel had lied to the department.

The man in the photo turned out to be a Boston firefighter, who Boston Fire Department spokesman Steve MacDonald said wishes to remain anonymousduringan interview with Fox 25.

“It’s troubling that a person who is not a member is claiming to be a member,” he said.

Daniel issued a statement via the department Tuesday, saying he “apologizes for providing false information, and for bringing undo press and bad publicity onto the department.”

The department also apologized to all members ofthe first responder communitywho were “rightfully offended” by Daniel’s lies.

The department did not indicate what disciplinary action Daniel would face, saying the issue would be dealt with as an “internal personnel matter.”