Teen speaks out after surviving shooting in downtown Detroit

A Detroit teenager is speaking out after surviving a shooting, as doctors say cases like his highlight the need for more people to know how to act in those critical moments before first responders arrive.

At Detroit Medical Center, trauma teams are focusing on what happens in the first few minutes after someone is seriously injured. Through "Stop the Bleed" training, they're teaching everyday people how to control severe bleeding using medical kits, skills that can help save lives.

During one demonstration, attendees practiced using tourniquets and packing wounds, simulating injuries similar to gunshot and stab wounds. For 14-year-old Tavaun Clark, those life-saving moments became reality.

"I want to say stop the violence," Clark said.

Tavaun was downtown with a group of friends when he says another group of teens approached and jumped one of them. Moments later, someone opened fire. One of the bullets struck Clark, narrowly missing his heart. He says he didn't realize right away that he had been shot.

"It took like a minute to know I was shot; all I knew was I couldn't breathe," he said.

His mother, Tracy Clark, says she was shocked when she got the call. She says her son rarely goes out and usually spends his time at home or on the football field.

"He don't normally get out that often. If he's not with a coach, he's with me," she said. "He's been playing since he was four… I want to see him succeed. Maybe play for the Lions."

Doctors at Children's Hospital of Michigan say stories like Tavaun's are far too common. Dr. Scott Langenburg, chief of pediatric surgery, says gun violence remains the leading cause of death for children in Michigan.

"In 2023, there were about 75 deaths from gun violence—and that doesn't include all the lucky ones like Tavaun who survive," Langenburg said.

That reality is why medical teams are working to prepare the public to act in emergencies. They say the ability to stop severe bleeding before paramedics arrive can drastically improve a victim's chances of survival.

Now out of the hospital, Tavaun says he's focused on recovering and getting back to what he loves most, playing football this summer.