Two Chicago Cops Hailed For Using Tourniquet To Save Wounded Teen
(CBS) -- Chicago police officers are getting some of the same training as paramedics and firefighters, and a local teenager is thankful for that, reports WBBM's Veronica Carter.
Two officers were called to a Walgreen's parking lot last week in the Logan Square neighborhood. A 15-year-old had been shot in the leg and was bleeding profusely. Officer Marlene Rivera started treating him immediately.
Her commander, Mark Buslic, says together with her partner officer Edwin Pagan saved the teen's life.
Buslic says Rivera, "knew that she had to apply a compress right away, which is what she did, she used our victim's t-shirt and once Edwin got on the scene 90 seconds later, then his very specific training kicked in, knew that a tourniquet was going to be necessary."
Officer Pagan had been through the training and says instinct kicked in so he got a belt from a woman nearby and wrapped it around the boy's leg.
Paramedics say he would have bled out if that tourniquet wasn't put on.
The officers are going to be honored by the city and the teenager is recovering.