Rexburg man accidentally shoots himself in hand while cleaning gun
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REXBURG — A man accidentally shot himself in the hand while cleaning a gun at his home early Friday morning.
Rexburg Police Capt. Randy Lewis says the 49-year-old was cleaning a .44 caliber pistol around 12:20 a.m. when the gun fired.
“He forgot he had put a clip in the gun and his hand was front of the barrel when it went off,” Lewis says. “His hand was hurt pretty bad.”
The man was taken to Madison Memorial Hospital. His condition is unknown.
This was second accidental shooting in Rexburg in less than 12 hours.
A shotgun belonging to a 75-year-old St. Anthony man fell out of a pickup truck and accidentally discharged at the Walmart gas station on Second East Thursday around 4:10 p.m.
Some pellets from the gun hit a man standing nearby who was not seriously injured.
The owner of the gun, who police were looking for after he left the gas station, went into the Rexburg Police Department Thursday night and claimed responsibility.
He said he had been shooting skunks and set the shotgun next to the door of his truck, according to Lewis.
Lewis says both incidents are considered accidents and no charges will be filed.