A quiet Monday evening sandwich run in south Charlotte turned into a life-or-death scramble when a gun accidentally went off inside a Jimmy John's on S. Tryon Street. An off-duty Fort Mill firefighter, fresh off earning his EMT certification, is now being credited with keeping the victim alive.
Firefighter Marquis Robinson was off the clock and had just stepped out of a nearby barbershop when he heard a single sharp pop. When he looked back, he saw customer Greg DeMarco on the ground near the sandwich shop, bleeding heavily. Robinson rushed over, grabbed towels and a belt from a nearby shop, and used them to apply pressure and improvise a tourniquet while police and MEDIC units closed in.
DeMarco, a U.S. Navy veteran who said he was on his way home to Waxhaw, was taken to a hospital. Doctors are hopeful he will recover.
Speaking with WSOC-TV, DeMarco said the firearm "shot through the bottom of my bag" and hit his left arm. He described blood "gushing" and said he briefly lost consciousness. "When I fell, my gun went off," he told the station.
Off-Duty EMT Training Put To Work
Robinson told the station he leaned on his new EMT skills in the moment, using the towels and belt to create a tourniquet and keep pressure on the wound until first responders arrived. As reported by WSOC-TV, Robinson has been with the Fort Mill Fire Department for about a year and completed his EMT certification just two months ago.
DeMarco later told the station he credits Robinson with saving his life.
Police Response And Public-Health Context
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department arrived within minutes of the shooting, and DeMarco was transported to a hospital, according to WSOC-TV. Police say the circumstances of the accidental discharge remain under investigation and no charges have been announced.
Unintentional firearm discharges are tracked separately by public-health agencies and can still cause serious injuries even when no crime is involved. Researchers use data on nonfatal firearm injuries to shape prevention strategies. For more on how those injuries are recorded, see CDC WISQARS.
Robinson has downplayed the praise coming his way, saying he is simply glad he was there and able to help. DeMarco, who plays bass at his church, is now focused on recovery while medical staff continue to evaluate his injured arm.
