By Carolyn P Smith
Belleville News-Democrat
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — An East St. Louis man who was hit with a bullet in an artery in his arm is alive thanks to a female medic’s quick action to stop the bleeding, police say.
The man was shot Wednesday afternoon, but police have not established an actual crime scene. The victim, whose name has not been released, drove himself to the East St. Louis Police Department.
An emergency call made at about 4:30 p.m. reported that the man was shot in the 1200 block of State Street, said Illinois State Police Zone 6 Investigative Commander Mike Lewis said.
“He drove to the East St. Louis Police Department and came to the back door., Lewis said. “He tried to let himself in saying he had been shot and needed help.”
Agents with the state police’s Public Safety Enforcement Group were working upstairs at the East St. Louis Police Department and heard the emergency radio broadcast.
When they reached the victim at the lower level, they saw he had lost “an incredible amount of blood,” Lewis said.
The man had been shot through an artery in an arm, which was spurting blood.
“One of our PSEG agent is a medic,” Lewis said. “She went down there, grabbed her tourniquet, applied pressure, and stopped the bleeding.”
Lewis credited a joint effort between East St. Louis Police officers and the state police agents with saving the man’s life.
“They worked together and thanks to their effort, the subject is alive,” Lewis said.
The man was transported by ambulance to an area hospital. His current condition was not available.
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