Improvised tourniquets used after man saws arms in Home Depot
An off-duty paramedic and police had to create makeshift tourniquets to stop the bleeding after a man sawed his arms in a Home Depot.
Police were dispatched to the West Covina store about 12:20 p.m. Wednesday after customers saw the man grab a handsaw and begin cutting into his arm, police said.
“He just began sawing away,” West Covina police Cpl. Rudy Lopez told The Times, saying the man had calmly grabbed the handsaws.
“He was pretty much intent on doing what he did,” Lopez said. “Nobody noticed him until he started doing what he was doing.”
Panicked people called 911 for help. The man was passing out as officers arrived, police said.
Emergency responders used twine and rags from the store to create a makeshift tourniquet to stop the heavy flow of blood, Lopez said.
The name of the man was not immediately known because he had no identification and was passed out by the time officers had stopped massive bleeding from both of his arms, which were cut to the bone, the West Covina Police Department said.
The man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was undergoing surgery. His condition Thursday morning was not immediately known.
Lopez said the store was closed down for the rest of the day.
The Daily Breeze reported the man was described as possibly a male Latino in his late 30s or early 40s.
ALSO:
Woman, 98, in Jaguar kills man on scooter, police say
Body found in Angeles National Forest north of Castaic
Official complains Greuel used school for ‘negative campaigning’
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
