While staying calm under pressure, a young man ran toward the sound of gunfire to help save lives after a double shooting in Philadelphia last weekend.
Moments after a witness recorded video of a man carrying a gun after the Center City shooting, Carter Mitchell says he looked out his apartment window and saw chaos on the street beneath him.
“I see people fleeing toward the hotel across the street, I see people ducking for cover, looking around,” said Mitchell, who moved into his apartment last month.
Police say the shooter fired at least 14 shots outside an Airbnb Saturday night near 13th and Callowhill streets. Two men were both hit in the legs. The motive is still unclear, but the victims were leaving a music show at a nearby venue.
After hearing the gunfire, Mitchell says he heard screams and raced to help.
“I ended up grabbing about two belts, a couple towels and I put on gloves for my own protection,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell told CBS News Philadelphia he found a 33-year-old man bleeding after being shot in both legs. He tried calming him down while using the belts as a tourniquet.
“I was just trying to do whatever I could to stop the bleeding or slow it down until the paramedics arrived,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell is 23 years old and graduated from Drexel University in June with a degree in biology. He’s a part-time EMT and is currently working as a clinical research coordinator while pursuing a full-time career in medicine.
“I’ve never actually had a patient who had gunshots, a gunshot wound patient, but I think I was very experienced in kind of dealing with stressful situations,” he said.
Both victims were taken to nearby hospitals and are listed in stable condition.
Mitchell didn’t know the shooter was quickly arrested, but says it was clear the one victim was in desperate need of help.
“I’m happy to hear, despite taking multiple gunshot wounds, he’s going to be OK,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell is studying for the medical college admission test and plans to take it in January.
After medical school, he says his dream is to become an emergency room doctor and continue to help people.