Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero and Police Chief David Rausch today awarded the Knoxville Police Department’s Life Saving Award to Officer Ryan Ayers.  Officer Ayers has been with the department since January 2014.  

On March 4, 2016, Officer Ayers responded to a shooting call in the parking lot of West Town Mall where a male had accidentally shot himself in the leg.  When Office Ayers arrived on the scene the male was lying in the parking lot bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound to his upper leg.

Chief Rausch said, “Officer Ayers quickly accessed the situation and based on his experience as a Combat Marine, he determined the injury was potentially life-threatening.”

Officer Ayers ran back to his vehicle and retrieved his first aid kit which also included a tourniquet.  Officer Ayers applied the tourniquet to the victim’s leg above the wound to slow the rapid loss of blood.  Rural Metro responded to the scene and transported the victim to UT Medical Center where they continued to treat the victim.  

Chief Rausch said, “When Investigator Brandon Wardlaw followed up at the hospital to check on the victim’s condition, the trauma surgeon said the officer who acted quickly and applied the tourniquet saved the victim’s life.” 

“We thank Officer Ayers for his service to the country as a Combat Marine Veteran and for his continuing service to the citizens of Knoxville,” Chief Rausch concluded.