Levelland police officer uses ‘sandwich bags’ to keep gunshot victim alive, credits military background

LEVELLAND, Texas (KCBD) - A Levelland police officer received an award for his make-shift field dressing that kept a gunshot victim alive.

On Oct. 23, 2022, Levelland Patrol Officer John Hernandez received a call about a suicidal person who may have weapons.

When Hernandez arrived at the home, he found the man on the ground, unresponsive, with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Hernandez said a chest seal was not available, so he immediately fell back on his military training.

Hernandez served in the army and deployed to Iraq in 2010.

“I was in the infantry, so combat trauma and life-saving techniques are something we trained a lot in,” Hernandez said.

Levelland Patrol Officer Ivan Baeza arrived shortly after and said she found Hernandez applying pressure to the man’s chest.

“He asked if anyone had sandwich bags,” Baeza said.

Baeza said she keeps those plastic bags in her patrol unit for when they come across narcotics in the field.

“I ran and I got the sandwich bags; I had no idea what he was going to do,” Baeza said.

Baeza said she watched as Hernandez used one sandwich bag to cover the bullet’s entry wound on the front of the man’s chest.

Together, they located the bullet’s exit wound on the man’s back, where they placed another plastic sandwich bag.

This dressing prevented the man’s lungs from collapsing.

“As soon as we put our hands together, I felt air coming through the bag. I could actually see the guy reacting to that,” Baeza said.

Baeza said she watched in shock as the man began to breathe.

“I have never seen something like that,” Baeza said. “I carry sandwich bags everywhere now because of Officer Hernandez.”

Levelland Police Chief Albert Garcia said officers do receive emergency medical training, but he is thankful for the additional experience Hernandez brings to the Levelland Police Department family.

“He already had this kind of experience when he was in the army. He had to do the same kind of procedures on some of his friends, and so I think his training in the army really started to kick in,” Garcia said.

On Friday, June 30, the Levelland Police Department honored Hernandez with the Life-Saving Award.

“What a testimony for him. He is such a fantastic officer. I really hope he has found his forever home. He is a valuable asset to Levelland P.D.” Garcia said.

Baeza also received the Life-Saving Citation for her actions.

“She was very calm and she kept me calm as well. Without her, I don’t think I would have been successful in treating that injury,” Hernandez said.

Garcia said it is critical to honor his officers when they do fantastic work.

“A lot of times they hear the negative rhetoric,” Garcia said. “They need to understand they have value, they have purpose and they do a fantastic job. This is a way for us to let them know we appreciate them.”

Garcia said he hopes the officers remember they have a purpose, and so does the man they saved that day.