ROCKWELL — A Rockwell man was accidentally shot in the groin this morning while looking at a neighbor’s gun on Family Circle.
The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident, which occurred shortly before 10 a.m. Family Circle is located not far from St. Peter’s Church Road.
The man’s name was not immediately available, but his friend and neighbor Ray Stoner told a Post reporter he was showing the gun to his friend when it went off. He said it was an old, handmade gun. Authorities earlier identified it as a 410 shotgun loaded with birdshot.
Stoner, who lives in the 1300 block of Family Circle, said he inherited the gun when his father passed away. His friend wanted to see how the gun came apart. Stoner said he didn’t think he had the gun cocked, but he apparently did, shooting his friend in the groin.
Stoner was sitting in a recliner in his living room and his friend was standing a few inches away from him. The injured man walked a few yards to the home of another neighbor who is a firefighter.
The firefighter, who declined to give his name, said he used a towel to stop the bleeding. The firefighter called 911 and the victim was taken by ambulance to the hospital.
See more details in Saturday’s Post.