When a 7-year-old child suffered a gunshot wound outside an Oakwood store on Oct. 1, Ryan Daniels stepped in to help, taking off his belt and using it as a tourniquet until emergency responders arrived.
A week later, Buchanan County Sheriff Allen W. Boyd visited Daniels at his workplace, Tractor Supply in Vansant, to present him with a certificate recognizing his actions.
“Ryan didn’t wait for someone else to step in. He reacted,” Boyd said in a statement thanking Daniels. “He took off his belt and used it as a tourniquet, providing critical aid until first responders arrived. His quick thinking and willingness to help undoubtedly made a difference during a frightening situation.”
The recognition followed a shooting that sent the child by helicopter to the trauma center at Johnson City Medical Center.
According to the sheriff’s office, a preliminary investigation found that a parent had left the 7-year-old and two younger children inside a vehicle while entering the Dollar General store in Oakwood. The child retrieved a handgun, which discharged and struck the child in the leg.
The sheriff’s office received a 911 call at about 9:11 p.m. Deputies were the first emergency responders to arrive, providing medical assistance and applying a tourniquet to control the bleeding. Oakwood Fire and Rescue also responded, and MedFlight transported the child for treatment.
Boyd’s recognition of Daniels highlighted the help the child received before those responders reached the scene.
The sheriff said Daniels’ willingness to act reflected the character of the community.
“What Ryan did represents something much bigger than that. It represents the mindset and character of the people of Buchanan County,” Boyd said. “When someone is in need, we help.”
Boyd thanked Daniels on his own behalf and on behalf of the sheriff’s office, and encouraged people visiting Tractor Supply to shake his hand and thank him.
“Your actions are a reminder of what it means to look out for your fellow man and why I’m proud to serve the people of Buchanan County,” Boyd said.
The sheriff’s office has not released the names of those involved in the shooting.
