Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero and Police Chief David Rausch awarded the Life Saving Award to Knoxville Police Department Officer John Stevens. 

Officer Stevens has been with KPD since January 2007.  This is Officer Stevens’ second earned Life Saving Award in 2017.

On October 18, 2017, at approximately 10:24 p.m., officers were dispatched to a report of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg at a residence on Radford Place.  Dispatch advised that the victim believed he had hit his femoral artery and was bleeding heavily.  Officer Stevens was on N. Broadway at the time of the call, and even though this was not his beat, he quickly responded to the residence.  Officer Stevens, the first responding officer to arrive on the scene, quickly made entry to the victim's residence through an unlocked rear door. 
 
Officer Stevens found the victim in his bedroom suffering from a single gunshot wound to the upper leg.  The victim was covered in blood with blood squirting at a high volume out of the wound with every heartbeat.  Without hesitation, Officer Stevens retrieved his tourniquet from his duty belt and applied it to the victim’s leg.  By the time AMR and KFD arrived, the bleeding had subsided.  

Emergency personnel stated that had Officer Stevens not applied the tourniquet as quickly and efficiently as he did, the victim would have bled out.    

Chief Rausch said, “Officer Stevens’ quick response and actions are the reason the victim is alive today.  His willingness to get involved to help save a life without regard to his personal safety is a testament to his dedication to this department, the City of Knoxville, and most importantly, the citizens we serve each and every day.”