By Joe Johnson
An Athens man accidentally shot himself while celebrating Independence Day two days early, according to an Athens-Clarke County police report.
After the incident was reported at 10:43 p.m. Thursday, officers responded to a Danielsville Road residence to where the victim went after being shot, according to the report.
The victim, a 23-year-old Loblolly Drive resident, was found to have a gunshot wound to his thigh, which was not bleeding, according to the report.
He “reported that he was in another location discharging the firearm due to that was ‘4th of July weekend,’” an officer noted in the report. “(He) reported that he was coming back from the other location when he tripped and he grabbed the gun and accidentally shot himself.”
National EMS personnel responded and transported the victim to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, according to the report, which noted that the gun was placed in evidence for safekeeping so that the victim could later claim it.
The police report did not indicate the type of gun that was involved.