The felon accidentally shot himself, then blamed someone else

A convicted felon brought on more criminal charges after accidentally shooting himself in the leg and claiming it was a random shooting.

The 18-year-old went to St. Joseph Medical Center on Nov. 28 to be treated for a gunshot wound.

When police questioned him about what happened, the man initially said he pulled over on South 38th Street to urinate and a man ran up and started shooting. He claimed a passerby gave him a ride to the hospital.

Officers viewed hospital surveillance showing the felon showing up in a different type of car than the one he described. That vehicle had blood on the passenger seat, a bullet casing on the floorboard and handgun tucked in the driver's door, court records show.

The felon eventually admitted "he took a pistol from the holster and accidentally chambered a round and shot himself," according to charging papers.

He then called a friend to drive him to the hospital.

The man told police he and a friend found the handgun in a parking strip near Sales Elementary School.

He has prior convictions for second-degree robbery, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, which bars him from having a gun.

On Wednesday, Pierce County prosecutors charged him with first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. He has not yet been arraigned.

This story was originally published February 22, 2018 at 9:05 AM with the headline "The felon accidentally shot himself, then blamed someone else."