FDNY EMTs Step In To Rescue Man, Subdue Alleged Assailant In East Village

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- They put their lives on the line every day, but two FDNY EMTs went above and beyond the call of duty to save one man's life.

As CBS2's Tracee Carrasco reported, FDNY EMTs Ryan Gref and Bruce Fonseca are part of New York's bravest. But they are also a pair of crime fighters.

They were out for a routine medical call on Wednesday night in the East Village when they heard screams and saw a scene at M&J Asian Cuisine Sushi Bar at 14th Street and Avenue B.

"At that point, somebody had said, 'Watch out, he's got knives,'" Fonseca said.

When they walked into the restaurant, they found two employees fighting. One of the men attempted to stab the other.

At that point, they jumped into action.

"To catch the gentleman off guard, I yelled at him, and at the same time, I reached in; grabbed the knives out of his hand," Gref said.

Gref subdued the stabbing suspect until police arrived. Fonseca then tended to the 48-year-old victim, who only had minor injuries.

The quick-thinking duo saved the man's life.

"It could have been anything between him walking away, or potentially something maybe worse," Fonseca said.

Both men are assigned to a specialty unit with rescue and task force training. Their actions were considered heroic, but to Gref and Fonseca, it was just another day on the job.

"Anybody who works for the city that's providing care to the public is a hero," Gref said.

"That's what we're here for, so others may live," Fonseca added.

Police told CBS2 the suspect -- identified as Bao Rong Chen, 47 -- was arrested at the scene and was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and menacing.