How long did it take for paramedics to treat Seattle shooting victims?

The Seattle Fire Department said it took just four minutes to arrive at the scene of the Lake City shooting this week after the initial alert. But some witnesses say it took much longer for paramedics to get to shooting victims.

"I laid there and laid there, and cars were coming by, and I couldn't figure out why nobody was helping me," said Deborah Judd, one of three people who were shot.

Judd asked bystander John Barrett for help. He told KUOW that paramedics took 12 to 15 minutes to assist Judd, who is recovering at Harborview.

Another witness, Kim Brown, walked outside and saw a man who had been shot in the face.

Brown said bystanders and police tried to help, but “it was a long time before an ambulance got there, 15 or 20 minutes, and that was a really frustrating thing.”

The man died.

Up until recently Seattle Fire Department guidelines said units should stand by at a safe location until police have completely secured the scene. That's to keep first responders safe, and it's standard practice in most places.

But recently fire officials with police have developed a new protocol for responding to scenes of violence sooner.

It's not clear whether or exactly how the new protocol was followed in this case.

Police say that because this is an active homicide investigation they can't provide details about response times.