A local man who saved the life of a gunshot victim is to receive a special award from the Royal Humane Society next week. Roger Bartlett, from East Hagbourne, risked his own life to save that of a man shot down by an unknown attacker in Shepton Mallet near Bristol.
Mr Bartlett, who works in Abingdon for The Vale Housing Association, was with family members in a public house in Shepton Mallet when gunshots were heard in a nearby flat. He rushed to the scene to see if he could help, despite the fact that no one knew if the gunman was still nearby.
Whilst his stepson called for an ambulance, Mr Bartlett discovered the man slumped on a landing, bleeding heavily from a facial wound. He realised that the victim was beginning to choke so he pressed down on his tongue to open the airway. He was able to keep the man alive until paramedics arrived to airlift him to hospital by police helicopter. The victim survived the ordeal and was discharged several weeks later.
Mr Bartlett works as a Specialist Services Officer for The Vale Housing Association helping to run various sheltered schemes for elderly people in the area. He is accustomed to emergency situations having previously worked as a firefighter. He said, It was obvious that the victim had received severe facial injuries and it was not a very pleasant sight. However, my previous experiences and training with the fire service enabled me to assist until the paramedics arrived. I am thrilled to receive a reward though I was only doing what many other people would have done in the same circumstances.
Mr Bartlett's award will be presented to him at the Avon and Somerset police HQ in Portishead on Friday October 20th. Chief Superintendent Ted Allen of Yeovil police said: This incident was particularly difficult and potentially very dangerous. Mr Bartlett displayed courage and tenacity in rendering first-aid to a man he knew had been recently shot and the whereabouts of the gunman unknown. Without a doubt, had he not intervened and provided assistance to the injured man, the potential for a fatality was extremely high
.