PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The 16-year-old boy who was shot nine times at a bus stop near Cottman and Rising Sun avenues last week is now awake and speaking.
Police announced his condition Monday at a press conference, stating he is now in stable condition, while also thanking first responders and officers who arrived quickly at the scene to provide aid to those in need.
They say Wednesday afternoon 2nd District Police Officer Cristian Rodriguez Hecht and his partner Officer Sean Burgess heard the call come over the radio that multiple victims, possibly juveniles, were shot at a bus stop.
When they arrived, Rodriguez Hecht said they saw “multiple juvenile victims shot in the highway — some of them with multiple gunshot wounds to the upper and lower extremities.”
The pair had tourniquets with them, something Rodriguez Hecht says he carries while on patrol, and jumped into action.
“I tourniqueted one female who was shot multiple times in the legs and I moved on to another juvenile that was conscious and talking, and I tourniqueted him as well,” he said.
“My partner was grabbed by a civilian who told him that there was another juvenile shot behind a store. My partner went to the back of the store and tourniqueted him as well.”
Officials say enough resources had arrived at the scene by then and took those injured to the hospital for more care.
When one of the gunshot victims arrived at the hospital, the doctor said the tourniquet would ultimately help save that child's life, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel noted.
“Just the fact that my partner and I were able to do something and have that child continue life, do whatever he wants to do after high school, you know. We're just proud of it, you know, absolutely. That's what we do,” Rodriguez Hecht said.
Officials do not believe the 16-year-old was one of the victims the officers provided on-scene aid to.
Rodriguez Hecht says he and Burgess have been partners for about two months. Rodriguez Hecht has been with PPD for about six years and, before that, spent seven years with the military where he gained experience dealing with combat wounds.
He says Burgess has more than 10 years on the job.
Eight Northeast High School students were shot after school that day. Two suspects were arrested and charged Monday in connection to the incident. Two others are still at large.