James Carlo Wilson inquest: Paramedic who treated South Shields man shot by police gives evidence

Gavin Bolton said one had already carried out emergency medical aid on Mr Wilson by applying a chest seal as he lay prone in Frenchman’s Way, South Shields.

Armed Mr Wilson was shot by officers in the early hours of March 29, 2016, after threatening to fire at them and died in hospital three days later.

In a statement read to the ongoing Newcastle inquest, he said he had initially been unable to get as close to Mr Wilson as he would have liked due to the heavy police presence.

From the ambulance, he grabbed his paramedic bag, a defibrillator and an oxygen tank – and was soon administering TXA, a medication used to treat or prevent blood loss.

He also told the inquest he administered high flow oxygen but that Mr Wilson, 24, of Candlish Street, South Shields, had little or no air entry to the right hand side of his chest.

Although he knew there had been a shooting when he a colleague raced to the scene, he said was not aware of Mr Wilson’s condition until he got down by his side.

While applying aid, he also found the bullet had exited Mr Wilson’s back.

Mr Bolton said: “At the time, I believed that the patient could potentially be in cardiac arrest due to what the automated defibrillator was saying.

“I remember that a police officer advised me that there was a gun by the patient’s right hand side foot. It looked like German Luger type handgun, as far as I can recall.

Also read: Police missed "golden opportunity" to avoid shooting James Carlo Wilson“When I got down beside the patient there were two armed response officers wearing helmets and body armour.

“One of them had already attached a chest seal to the location of the gunshot wound, which was on the right side of the chest area. The chest seal had been applied correctly.

“With regard to treatment of the patient, despite the automated defibrillator saying ‘no shock required’, the patient had a cardio and respiratory output.

“I think I asked about the gun and the patient’s name.”

He added: “We also sealed the exit wound in the back with a further chest seal.”

Mr Bolton said he, a colleague and the two armed officers put Mr Wilson on to a stretcher and carried him to the ambulance.

He and another paramedic, as well as a police officer, accompanied the ambulance to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

In all, he told the hearing that he spent about 20 minutes at the scene.

In a statement read to the inquest, pathologist Jennifer Bolton said Mr Wilson had died at 11.17pm on April 1, three days after he was shot.

She said he had suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest, with the bullet passing his lower lung and going through his liver.

Dr Bolton said massive blood loss occurred, primarily from the liver wound.

She said Mr Wilson showed no signs of any natural illness.