Evanston Police Officer Applies Tourniquet to Save Gunshot Victim

City of Evanston, Illinois sent this bulletin at 05/12/2016 03:20 PM CDT

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Evanston Police Department Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2016

Contact: Commander Joseph Dugan - Media Relations
Phone:   (847) 866-5026

email: jdugan@cityofevanston.org

EVANSTON OFFICER APPLIES TOURNIQUET TO HELP SAVE GUNSHOT VICTIM 

Since January 1, 2016 on-duty officers at the Evanston Police Department have been required to carry tourniquets as part of their uniform.    Law enforcement officers nationwide have successfully used tourniquets to save their own lives, lives of their partners and lives of citizens.

On April 21, 2016 at approximately 2:33 PM officers were dispatched to a call of a gunshot victim in the 1900 block of Jackson Avenue.  Upon arrival, officers located a male victim, 17 years old, with a gunshot wound to his leg.  Officer William Arzuaga from the department’s problem solving team was one of the first officers on scene and observed the victim to be bleeding heavily from his left leg.  Officer Arzuaga quickly applied his tourniquet in an attempt to stop the bleeding.  The victim was subsequently treated by Evanston Fire Department paramedics and transported to NorthShore Evanston Hospital for treatment.   It was later learned that the bullet severed the victims artery, which would have caused extensive blood loss and did require extensive surgery by NorthShore Evanston Hospital physicians to repair.  Doctors credited Officer Arzuaga’s quick thinking and proper application of the tourniquet to keep the gunshot victim alive and stabilized until he could arrive at the hospital to be treated by medical personnel for the wound. 

The Evanston Police Department would like to publicly commend the actions of Officer Arzuaga for his quick assessment and proper application of the tourniquet as a life saving measure.  Officer Arzuaga is a credit to the Evanston Police Department and his actions show his dedication to the Evanston community.   Officer Arzuaga has been employed by the Evanston Police Department for 11 years and is also a veteran of the United States Air Force.