A Bend man who police say was drinking while cleaning his gun accidentally shot himself in the leg, then crashed his car while driving to the hospital. The incident caused St. Charles to go into a lockout mode.
Bend Police say it happened late Tuesday night. The man’s friend reportedly told police that he and the victim had been out shooting their handguns earlier in the day, then returned to the man’s apartment in the 1600 block of NE Purcell Boulevard.
The friend said they were drinking bourbon and cleaning their guns when the man accidentally pulled the trigger and shot himself in his own left thigh, police said.
The man drove himself to the hospital, but lost consciousness and hit a pillar outside of The Center, which is next to the hospital.
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The man’s friend, who police say was a passenger in the car, called 911.
Officers arrived to find the man laying by the entrance to The Center. A security guard was rendering aid and officers applied a second tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
The man was transferred by ambulance to the St. Charles emergency room. The hospital was placed in a lockout during the incident.
Police say the case remains under investigation.
