SUFFOLK, Va. — A 62-year-old man is dead after being taken to a fire station in Suffolk in search of medical treatment for a gunshot wound Sunday night, officials said.
Suffolk Fire Captain Roger Stinnette said a woman arrived at Fire Station 3 in her car with a man buckled into the passenger front seat. The woman pleaded with paramedics to save the man's life.
"Crews were actually about to leave for a missing person's report when the woman drove up the front apron," said Stinnette. "I believe she was honking on the horn, and paramedics quickly rendered aid.
Despite their best effort, paramedics and investigators declared the man dead at the station and later identified him as Gary Boykin of Suffolk.
Investigators determined Boykin was shot once inside a residence located on Old Dill Road near County Street. The street is less than two miles away from the fire station, and police investigated both locations as crime scenes.
Suffolk Fire Chief Michael Barakey said in times of an emergency every second counts.
Barakey said every station is designated as a "safe space," and it is alright for a person needing medical attention to go directly to the station. In some cases, it might even be better if a hospital is miles away from an emergency.
"That is our home base, and everything we need is there including an ambulance," said Barakey. "Even if they roll up there and no one is there because they are on a call, they can still call 911 and paramedics can meet them at that easily identified location."
In regards to this specific shooting, Suffolk police said no one is in custody, there is no suspect information available and the investigation is ongoing.
Both Suffolk firefighters and police officers are urging anyone who may have information on the shooting to call the Crime Line at 1-888-562-5887 or submit an anonymous tip online at P3tips.com.