NEW YORK — A woman died almost 12 hours after being declared dead by EMTs who answered to a call for a person with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Diana Rodriguez, 32, was on the phone with her boyfriend, threatening to kill herself when the man heard the sound of a gunshot from the other side of the phone line, the New York Daily News reported.
The man contacted Rodriguez’s sister, who called 911.
When EMTs from Jamaica Hospital arrived at the woman’s residence, they found her with a gunshot wound to the head. They detected no pulse, declared her dead and called off further medical response.
Later police arrived at the scene and, as they prepared the apartment for investigators, they heard gurgling sounds and wheezing coming from the woman.
The officers realized the woman was alive and called the EMTs back.
The same EMT unit returned to the residence, accompanied by backup units and a FDNY field supervisor.
Rodriguez arrived at the hospital about two hours after the incident occurred. She died of her injuries around 8 p.m., approximately 11 hours after shooting herself.
The FDNY are investigating the incident.