By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
Salisbury Police say a 19-year-old man accidentally shot himself in the leg early Thursday evening at the Civic Park Apartments.
Deputy Chief Rory Collins said it appeared the shooting victim was trying to put a handgun into his back pocket or elsewhere in his pants when it discharged.
The bullet went into his thigh and down toward his calf, where it exited, according to preliminary reports.
Collins did not have the name of the victim Thursday when he talked to the Post.
The shooting victim was highly combative when emergency responders arrived, and he had to be restrained during his trip to Rowan Regional Medical Center, according to reports.
Civic Apartments are located at 715 Hall St.
The incident, which police responded to at 7:12 p.m., remains under investigation.
Police performed gunshot residue tests that confirmed it was the victim who shot himself.
But officers initially thought they had a suspect in the shooting and confronted him after their arrival.
“At first we didn’t know what we were dealing with,” Collins said.
Officers ended up arresting Justin Decarlos Ford, 20, of 306 N. Jackson St. and charged him with resisting an officer and disorderly conduct.
Ford was placed under $1,500 bond Thursday night. Reports said Ford used abusive language and actions directed at Officers C.S. Hamm and K.H. Boehm.
Reports said Ford refused to step back while Hamm was securing the crime scene and later resisted the officer on their way to the patrol car.
Collins said it will be determined later whether the victim, who was still at the hospital Thursday night, will face any charges connected to his possession of the gun.