The case of the SHOOTOUT nearby

There was shootout at a nearby apartment complex...

During the time that I worked in two local hospital emergency rooms, I saw things I wish I hadn’t, I smelled things I wish I hadn’t and my heart felt things I wish it hadn’t.

This is a case that is very disturbing to me. We were very busy that Saturday evening. One case after another rolled in as we had all hands on deck trying to get to those who needed immediate help, then assess the remaining people. In all of the cases I had known over all of those years, this one ranks in the top five.

Dr. M. was on duty and I knew it would be a wild night but a great night. He was one of the most enthusiastic physicians I ever worked with while in the ER. I always felt great when I saw him round the corner coming in to work.

Several hours passed and we were “putting out fires” as the crowd was so huge it was overwhelming. Finally after a while things began to settle and I got myself a cup of coffee and asked the physicians on duty if they would like a cup. Coffee time is a wonderful thing in the ER. Many times for the entire 12 hour shift, we did not get breaks to rest, to eat nor to have coffee. So when a little crack of time showed itself, we grabbed what we could and proceeded with our work.

Suddenly we were contacted by the Fire Department EMTs, they were headed in with a victim of a gun shot wound (GSW). It was a 19 year old male. When he arrived I noticed he was a big guy, close to 300 pounds. As he caught my eye, I could feel his fear. His wound was in his abdomen and he already looked very pale. I stepped over to help as they were removing his clothing and asking him questions. I asked him who could I call for him. He answered, “Call my mother because she will be worried, I was supposed to go to her house for dinner tonight”. I got the number and stepped over to the phone. A man answered and he turned out to be the patient’s father. I explained who I was and where I was then told him that he and his wife needed to come right away. His son had been shot and he was being assessed now in the emergency room at our hospital. He said very little, I am sure he was in shock as any parent would be, then he said, “We are on our way.” I stepped back over and told our patient his parents were on their way. He nodded and gave me a thumbs up.

I knew our young patient was in a dire situation, I saw the look on our charge nurse, Lisa. She was the best of the best and she could read the signs immediately. This patient was losing blood internally and losing it at a rapid pace. The general surgeon on duty was called and our patient was prepared for the operating room.

Meanwhile, the guy who had shot this patient had been brought in and he was on a gurney right next to our first patient. This 2nd GSW patient was shot in the arm right near the elbow. X-rays revealed that the bullet had shattered two bones and he was being prepared for surgery as well. 

I saw the sheer terror in their eyes, then I watched as the two shooters turned and looked right into the face of each other. It was nothing less than epic, yet frightening.

Our first and more critical patient was rolling now, straight back to the operating room as fast as they could push that gurney. His parents had not arrived yet but I was certain they would be there soon.

About 20 minutes after the 19 year old patient  (shot in the abdomen) had left for surgery, I saw three very tall people  walk in to ER registration. I just knew it was his family.  I was correct, it was his parents and his younger brother. I walked out, introduced myself and told them he was now in surgery and I escorted them to the waiting room for surgery. Unlike the silent phone call earlier, they were shooting questions at me like I was at a rifle range. I could tell them very little, due to the fact that we must allow the physician to field those questions, and I knew very little any way. I did know he was very critical, but at that time I figured he would be fixed in the Operating Room and would soon be fine.

I was wrong. Later, I was inputting some data when I  Iooked up to see a bewildered Dr. P, who was the surgeon on call that had operated on this 19 year old victim. I asked him how it went and he said, “Juanita, I am sorry to tell you, he did not make it!” I almost hyperventilated. He said the bullet did a freakish thing. It entered, found a major artery and travelled straight up that artery, splitting it wide open as it went. The young man bled out and there was no saving him. I could clearly see that it had effected this surgeon and his shoulders sagged as he walked on out the door. Moments later, through the glass of the ER doors, I saw the father and brother as they pushed the mother who was now in a wheelchair. Her head was dropped and she supported it with her hands.  All three were weeping unashamedly. That family was forever changed and after that experience, so was I.

The story of this tragedy is unbelievable to me. They were six young men ages 18-20 who seemingly came from nice families.  They lived across from each other in an apartment complex within two miles of our hospital. I understand that there were 3 in each apartment. The week before they had gathered at one apartment and played video games for hours. The next afternoon the guys who lived in the apartment where the games took place, noticed one of the video games was missing. A series of accusatory phone calls began as one group said the other stole and the other group said it was a lie. Within hours this grew to a point of absolute rage. 

The boys being accused of stealing, came to the accusers' apartment armed with guns. Those in the apartment saw the guns and they grabbed theirs guns. A shoot out  commenced that could rival the one that took place at OK CORRAL with Wyatt Earp and family. It was a gun battle for the ages. On the news and in the paper the other neighbors likened it to being in a war zone.

The two young men who came to our hospital were not the only ones shot that evening, there were two taken to the hospital closest to us and another ended up across town. In total 5 young men were shot. 

As a result of this gun fight over a video game, one young boy lost his life, one has a plastic elbow and others have huge scars. Families were broken that day and it was all over a video game. I do not understand it, no matter how much I think about it, I could not then and I cannot today.