CROSS LANES, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A man transported himself to the Emergency Room on Sunday after sustaining a gunshot wound.
Deputies with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office received reports of a gunshot victim having arrived at Thomas Hospital on Sunday. Deputy Cooper responded to the location to discover a 27-year-old male who reportedly had shot himself in the hand by mistake while attempting to clean his firearm.
The incident is said to have occurred at the Lamont area of Cross Lanes, and reports indicate the presence of “another person and several children” at the residence at the time of the shooting. No additional injuries were reported, however.
Authorities have concluded that the incident occurred solely as the result of mishandling of a loaded firearm. As such, no charges are expected to be issued at the time of writing.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office has offered the following tips regarding the handling a firearm:
- Treat all firearms as if they are loaded.
- When cleaning firearms, always remove the magazine and lock handgun slides to the rear so you can visually see that no live rounds are inside the chamber.
- Have a second person visually inspect the weapon to ensure it has been properly cleared.
- Keep your fingers off the trigger and outside the trigger guard, except when you are ready to fire a weapon.
- Always keep guns pointed in a safe direction.
