Will you die if shot in the heart PART II: Maybe not

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Looking for Massad Ayoob article on the Stacy Lim Incident...shot through the heart with a .357 Magnum, left ventricle blown out, then kills aggressor in a running gun battle, and SURVIVED! If I ever find the article I'll come back and post it.

Found this stuff:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhSACg_QWz4

http://www.lapdonline.org/inside_the_lapd/content_basic_view/27327#Stacy Lim

Officer Stacy Lim

After a softball game and a stop-over at the Northeast Station to check her work assignment, Officer Stacy Lim arrived home in Canyon Country at about 1 a.m., Saturday, June 9, 1990. She didn’t know that the car behind her had followed her from Los Angeles, or that it carried four hardcore gang members, intent on stealing her truck. One of the young bandits was armed with a .357-Magnum revolver. Now, because she believed that she had been followed for some unknown reason, she carried her 9-millimeter service weapon in her hand. When she saw the large pistol in the hand of the advancing figure, she was ready to defend herself.

Officer Lim did a humane thing – instead of immediately firing at the shadowy figure with a gun, she purposely advised him that she was a police officer. From a distance of about 5 feet, the young gunman, without warning, responded to Officer Lim’s unselfish act by firing his weapon directly into her chest. The bullet struck her with an impact equal to being hit by an 18-wheeled truck doing 60 miles-an-hour. The bullet ravaged her upper body when it nicked the lower portion of her heart, damaged her liver, destroyed her spleen, and exited through the center of her back, still with enough energy to penetrate her vehicle door, where it was later found. Critically wounded, the officer brought up her weapon and fired one round which struck her assailant. He then turned and ran, but the officer followed him and fired three more rounds, which hit and fatally wounded the gunman. He had fired all six of his bullets at Officer Lim, who now returned to the front of her vehicle to fight off any further attackers, unaware that the others had driven away in panic. They were all taken into custody the same day.

Now realizing her danger from her massive wound, she tried to reach her doorway, but collapsed. Her roommates, alerted by the shooting, found her and called for medical aid. The officer had already lost so much blood, that that alone made her condition critical.

Police and Medical personnel at the scene estimated that she had no chance for recovery, and doctors at the hospital gave her only an hour to live. Her family was summoned.

However, she refused to die and survived three full cardiac arrests. By responding to a 90-minute heart massage, she showed her will to live. Her sense of duty and personal courage were equaled only by her reverence for the life of another, because she had placed herself at dire risk by giving a warning to an armed attacker. She had given him an opportunity to surrender and live. Her action upheld the highest traditions of the Los Angeles Police Department and is hereby recognized by awarding her with the Medal of Valor.

http://www.officer.com/web/online/Operations-and-Tactics/Surviving-Being-Shot/3$33691

Surviving Being Shot
You can survive a gunshot wound

Updated: November 22nd, 2006 08:51 PM EDT

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KEVIN DAVIS
Tactical Survival Contributor
Officer.com

I have several friends that are walking around today, despite being shot numerous times, so being shot does not mean you're going to die. Furthermore, I have friends that only realized they were shot after the action and after the suspect was down. Think of Officer Kenyon Tuthill, as chronicled in the Calibre Press Ultimate Survivors video who, despite being shot in the head with a shotgun slug, never lost consciousness. Even though Kenyon lost the use of his eyes and mouth, he tried to call out on the radio for backup. Mentally you must stay in the fight. As the video narrator, William Shatner, reminds us, "Victims focus on their vulnerabilities; survivors focus on their ability to respond."

Stay in the fight

Your first goal must be neutralizing the suspect. Additional wounds or death may result if you stop defending yourself and focus on your injuries. This has been a recommendation for field medical personnel in the military, based on combat experience in Iraq. You cannot render aid when the enemy is still up and shooting at you or the wounded personnel. Stay in the fight! There have been recorded incidents in law enforcement of officers succumbing to non-vital wounds because they panicked and gave up, and yet I have a coworker that survived a .308 wound to the abdomen that blew out a fist sized hole in his back. He never stopped and never dropped. He got his pistol out and returned fire as he moved backward to safe cover. Only after the shooting was over did he communicate his situation to other officers on scene and on the radio. Training should emphasize that an officer must not relax and must engage in follow-through movements. These include but are not limited to:

* Get to cover, if not already behind it
* Check your weapons system to make sure it is operational and fully loaded
* Check your person to see if you are injured
* Communicate
o Your location
o What you have
o Suspect descriptions, if they are no longer on the scene
o Safe approach for responding units and injuries
* If possible, render first aid to yourself and other wounded citizens and officers

First Aid Options

According to combat medical information from Dr. Fabrice Czarnecki, the number one preventable cause of death on the battlefield is exsanguination (excessive blood loss) from extremities. Penetrating head trauma accounts for only 31% of battlefield KIAs. Some 60% of preventable combat deaths result from bleeding to death from extremity wounds. In Vietnam alone, hemorrhage from an extremity resulted in the death of over 2,500 soldiers that had no other injury.

Several years ago I spearheaded the formation of a tactical medic program for my agency's SWAT team. I had the good fortune to work closely with my friend Dr. Jo McMullen (recently awarded the National Tactical Officers Association Tactical EMS award). The paramedics that passed selection have worked closely with the team over the years since, and have become a vital part of our tactical response. One of the first missions Dr. McMullen tasked them with was equipping each operator with a trauma dressing and tourniquet, as well as a laminated form containing emergency medical and contact info. First aid training was given to the team with emphasis on gunshot wounds. Direct pressure to the site of the wounds may be enough to stop blood loss. With blood loss leading to unconsciousness occurring in a matter of minutes, it is imperative that you stem blood flow as soon as possible. If direct pressure does not work, contrary to first aid recommendations from your Boy Scout days, tourniquets are recommended to stop serious blood flow sooner rather than later.

QuickClot®

QuickClot is one of the new products that has come out over the last several years and has been proven successful in combat whether military or civilian police. QuickClot is classified as a blood clotting agent. Simply put, when QuickClot is directly applied to a bleeding wound, even if to a major artery, it can successfully clot the blood and slow or stop the bleeding . Manufactured by Z-Medica, QuickClot has the widest distribution of any such agent on the market. According to Z-Medica representatives, over one million units of QuickClot are now in the hands of our nation's military, police and emergency medics.

QuickClot is simple to use. The user should blot the excess blood off the wound and then pour the agent directly onto the bleeding wound or blood vessel. A trauma dressing or towel is held over the product until bleeding stops. The early version of QuickClot had a heat spike of about 150 degrees and could burn the medic's unprotected hand if a trauma dressing or similar was not used. The newest development from Z-Medica is QuickClot 1st Response® and ACS+® (Advanced Clotting Sponge). These products have reduced the heat issue completely. According to Z-Medica, both are used by opening the package and then packing the self-contained sponge directly into the wound. The QuickClot packages can be easily carried, as can a small trauma dressing, in the thigh pockets of an officer's BDU-type pants.

Listen to these words of advice from the United States Marine Corps based on combat experience in Iraq:

"The new "Quick Clot" bandage has proven very effective in saving lives. All medical personnel should be trained on how to use them. Corpsman and medical units not equipped with "Quick Clot" bandages should order some now. Realistically, all personnel should be trained on how to use the "Quick Clot" bandage and be trained in basic life saving first aid."

You Can Survive

Several years ago, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Stacy Lim was set upon off-duty by carjackers outside her own home while returning from a softball game. Shot through the chest at close range with a .357 Magnum, Lim was able to return fire, shooting her attacker multiple times. Soon collapsing at the end of her driveway, Officer Lim was taken to the emergency room. Stacy went was brought back to life three times after her heart stopped. During the time in the emergency room, she received 101 units of blood. Despite damage to her heart, spleen and other internal organs, she credits her training from the LAPD for her survival.

Despite being shot at five feet, Stacy stayed on her feet and won the gunfight. Although she knew she was shot, she made the mental decision to deal with the hurt later and win the gun battle now.

We can learn and apply the lessons of our military in Iraq as well as the heroic story of Stacy Lim. We can survive being shot, we can survive trauma to our system, as long as our fighting will to win stays strong. Condition your mind as well as your body. Check out QuickClot products. Talk to a local paramedic and receive basic trauma first aid training. Empower and equip yourself to win!

Web Links:

* Advanced Tactical Concepts
* Z-Medica

Kevin Davis is a full-time officer assigned to the training bureau where he specializes in use of force, firearms and tactical training. With over 23 years in law enforcement, his previous experience includes patrol, corrections, narcotics and he is a former team leader and lead instructor for his agency's SWAT team with over 500 call-outs in tactical operations.

http://www.kcet.org/lifeandtimes/archives/200608/20060817.php

Too long to post, a lot of the material not pertinent to this discussion...
 
The bullet struck her with an impact equal to being hit by an 18-wheeled truck doing 60 miles-an-hour.

Wow, I need one of those bullets!

Everyone says handgun rounds are underpowered.

Another Journalism degree from the CrackerJack Box... :rolleyes:
 
My other thread got locked, so I'll get this in before the lockdown.


I think a shot to the heart is the best place in the chest you could stop an attacker. If on the average, the person is not stopped from a bullet to the heart, then you might as well aim for the head of an attacker because a shot to the chest in the best place won't stop them.
 
and exited through the center of her back, still with enough energy to penetate her vehicle door, where it was later found.

Isn't this a contradiction?

If it had enough energy to penetrate her vehicle door, then that's not where they would've found the bullet.
 
amazing.
reminds me of the japanese banzai belts that were designed to hold your guts in until you killed enough of the enemy.

maybe that's also a secondary benefit of body armor - even if it doesn't stop the bullet it will hold you together until you get out.

is there a way to yank on a strap on vests so that you can apply more pressure to your body?
 
This is the highroad; let's keep it that way.

"shot through the heart with a .357 Magnum, left ventricle blown out",

The officer did not have her left ventricle blown out.

"The bullet struck her with an impact equal to being hit by an 18-wheeled truck doing 60 miles-an-hour. "

The energy of a 6.5 ton tractor at 60 miles per hour is 1,569,462 ft lbs of kinetic energy. I am not sure what the impact is, but this type of comparison is not useful.

I agree that it was a wound that should have been fatal and the officer acted beyound the call of duty and leave it at that.

By the way people do survived wounds the the heart, but not getting their left ventricles blown out and she should have fired first. Perhaps you explain these statements somewhere else but the post was really too long to read.
 
I think a shot to the heart is the best place in the chest you could stop an attacker.

That's a great idea. The only problem is, the heart isn't always in the same place. Some are shifted to the left of where you'd think it was, others to the right. Some are extremely low.

The key here (one the scumbag didn't know, a situation for which we can all be thankful) is that 1) humans are easy to kill but hard to stop, 2) handgun bullets suck and 3) anything worth shooting is worth shooting repeatedly until the desired goal is achieved.
 
it nicked the lower portion of her heart, damaged her liver, destroyed her spleen

That's why she was still in the fight. The bullet probably did not perforate the ventricle. There was no transmural damage I suppose. The heart wound was the minor wound in this case. I also strongly doubt that her "left ventricle was blown out". The life threatening damage was to the liver and spleen, which believe it or not are capable of profuse hemorrage. She got lucky.

because she had placed herself at dire risk by giving a warning to an armed attacker

I don't think there is anything to praise or emulate about this. Poor training that almost got her killed, that's what that was. But, still she fought back, and SURVIVED which is the whole point. What she lacked in training she made up with luck and a will to live. Well, I am damn sure she won't make the same mistake again. And I have certainly made up my mind now about giving warnings to armed assailants.
 
Yeah I have to say stranger things have happened. Of course there was that time that a wife stabbed her husband with a pear knife and it barely touched the heart and he died an hour later AFTER paramedics said that he was just fine. (And she was charged with murder of course but got off because it was determined Self Defense).

So really its one of those could happen. But playing the odds, if your shot and it hits your heart, your going down. Interesting research though.
 
I hardly believe a .357 mag load hits like a trailer truck at 60, that's rediculous. She is very lucky to be alive, i would think 999 out of 1,000 people shot in the same spot would die. she sure was lucky!!!
 
Isn't this a contradiction? If it had enough energy to penetrate her vehicle door, then that's not where they would've found the bullet.

Far be it for me to not respond to a nitpick, but penetrate only means to pierce or to enter, it doesn't mean to pass through. Otherwise, one of our favoriate pastimes would be much less popular.
 
If anyone had their left ventricle "blown out" they would not know when they hit the ground. Blood pressure would go to zero in that instant.
 
If it had enough energy to penetrate her vehicle door, then that's not where they would've found the bullet.

This is a common problem, I see it all the time. There are three types of interactions with a projectile:

a) tangential: it grazes the target
b) penetrating: it goes in and does not come out
c) perforating: it goes in and all of it or some of it comes out

People tend to use the word penetration instead of the proper word perforation. In terms of the story, the word penetration was the correct one to use when speaking about the car door.
 
Ironicly if she was not an off duty police officer it would have been illegal for her to be armed. This took place in Los Angeles where no mere mortals are allowed CCW. It took place on the walk from her car to her home.

There is many instances, some you can get live video of where people are shot with mortal injuries and live seconds or minutes. Usualy they sit there gasping for breath, often with a punctured lung and choking on thier blood as thier lungs fill up. They are perfectly conscious and could do anything.

If you completely stop blood circulation a person will stay conscious for 15-30 seconds. This means you could remove thier heart and it would be possible for them to shoot back, but your not removing it, you are just putting a hole in it. Now the mere shock and dramatic trauma makes most people cease to do anything in the interim, but they could still use the parts of thier body that function.
This is why even the best shooter in a gunfight won't neccessarily escape without taking return fire from someone mortaly wounded even if they are a great marksman and cool under fire. That is a Hollywood thing, started with with movies, and continues in modern action flicks. In real life gunfights both sides often get off a round regardless of who fires and connects first. Real gun fights are not glorious.
However this also means even someone mortaly wounded can kill thier attacker before succumbing to thier wounds and going unconscious, potentialy forever.

She is lucky to have survived. As an officer the responding officers probably did all they could to get her immediate help. Civilians they often secure the scene, and spend a few minutes checking things out. If they think the person is dead or likely won't revive they will just secure the scene as a homicide and not even try to revive them. I have seen videos of them sit and talk to a guy that would die shortly from gunshots while he is being loaded into an ambulance so they could get a description. There is a bigger attempt to do all they can as quick as possible for one of thier own. Others go through the normal channels.
The same is true in active shooting scenarios. A wounded civilian will need to wait until the situation is contained and area secured before medical personel are allowed to provide aid or transport them. An officer will be dragged from the scene however possible and loaded on the first ambulance.

This is not bashing whatsoever, it is human nature to take care of your family, or one of your own as a priority, and in such situations the authority is with the police. This means they are more likely to survive the same injuries.
 
"Blew out her left ventricle"
"Nicked the lower part of her heart"

So, which is it? She survived substantial internal injuries and stayed in the fight. What a spirit! But, this doesn't prove anything about gunshot injuries to the heart except that if they are minor enough, and you get prompt and competent trauma care, you have chance to survive.

Anyone who truly get's their left ventricle "blown out" is going to have systemic circulation reduced to virtually nil, will lose consciousness, and probably be brain dead in short order. Now, I'm not a physician, so any docs on this board please correct me if I'm wrong.

K
 
Anyone who truly get's their left ventricle "blown out" is going to have systemic circulation reduced to virtually nil, will lose consciousness, and probably be brain dead in short order. Now, I'm not a physician, so any docs on this board please correct me if I'm wrong.

I concur. I fail to see in the article where it said her left ventricle was "blown out". Nicking the muscular tissue of the left ventricle is a far different injury than penetrating the inside of left ventricle. If you truly had a hole in your left ventricle, you would rapidly decrease delivery of blood to your brain and body, which would incapacitate you.

The bullet ravaged her upper body when it nicked the lower portion of her heart, damaged her liver, destroyed her spleen, and exited through the center of her back

This bullet must have bounced around inside to have hit liver, spleen, and heart and then exited the center of her back. Liver and spleen are on the right and left sides, respectively. If they didn't say where the bullet had exited, I would have thought she was shot from the side.

As far as blood loss, liver and spleen lacerations can bleed like stink. That doesn't mean the bullet went through the inside of her left ventricle.

One could probably find examples of people being shot almost anywhere and surviving for a brief period of time, which is long enough to squeeze a trigger again. Remember, you're firing something less than 1 cm with a mass of GRAINS into a 200 lb person--with a lot of force, yes, but don't expect instant limp corpse once you hit a person. Shooting for center of mass is still a generally good idea. Nobody said it'll give you one-shot-stop, instantly paralyzing power.
 
When I was growing up, a friend of mine was accidently shot through the heart with a .44 Magnum. It belonged to his uncle. When he was visiting them, he and his older cousin, who should have known better, were left alone, then his cousin said, "Wanna see something awesome?". His cousin then told him to wait while he ran to his parent's bedroom, and he came back with his dad's .44 Magnum revolver and started messing around with it. He cocked the hammer, and then tried to decock it. Unfortunately he had it pointed right at my friend's chest when the hammer slipped out from under his control and the gun fired. My friend was hit with a full power .44 Magnum hunting load that tore through his heart and exited out his back, narrowly missing his spine. He spent along time in the hospital, had to undergo many surgories, but he miraculously made a full recovery. He has a pair of gruesome scars too, an entry scar and an exit scar. The good news is my friend didn't become anti-gun like some people in his situation would have, and he is a gun owner himself. He is however a big proponent of gun safety, including keeping all firearms secured and inaccesible to children.

So, if a 12 year old boy can survive a hit through the heart with a .44 Magnum, anything is possible. In fact, I remember reading somewhere, can't recall where, that far more people survive handgun wounds than are killed by them, even when vital organs like the heart are hit.
 
I remember one perpetrator (both parties were criminals) who was shot in the heart. The bullet penetrated the wall of the heart and then bounced back and sealed the hole it created, saving the perpetrator's life. The doctors were amazed and were able to patch up his heart.

It just wasn't his time to die.
 
I have seen many deer wounded in the heart run for quite a ways. I've seen some stand still for 20-30 seconds then fall dead.
First one I shot was facing me, 12 ga slug entered base of neck, obliterating a corotid artery, continued through the entire body where it removed all 4 major blood vessels from the top of the heart, blew up half of the liver,and messed up various other organs, eventually lodging in the hindquarters. That particular deer dropped like he was hit with a train and kicked around in a circle for about 10 seconds and it was over.

Moral of the story: you never know what a gunshot wound will do to a living being, even hit in the heart.
 
I've got a police magazine somewhere that recounts an astounding 27 (!) hits with 0.45 ACP before the guy was put down. Let me look for it and start a thread...
 
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