One of the 22 people murdered in the Manchester Arena suicide bombing would probably have survived but for inadequacies in the emergency response.
Care worker John Atkinson, 28, was six metres away when the explosion went off in the City Room foyer of the venue at the end of an Ariana Grande concert on the evening of May 22, 2017. A member of the public used his wife's belt as a tourniquet on Mr Atkinson's leg as he lay bleeding in agony on the City Room floor for up to 50 minutes, during which time he told a police officer: "I'm gonna die."
Mr Atkinson's family said it "should simply never have been allowed to happen", adding: "It is crystal clear that due to those failings, John died from injuries that he could and should have survived." Only three paramedics entered the City Room on the night and none were seen to attend or assist Mr Atkinson, before he was carried on a makeshift stretcher to a casualty clearing area where he later suffered a cardiac arrest - one hour and 16 minutes after the blast.
