On July 17 at 2:17 a.m., Elk Valley Regional RCMP along with BC Ambulance attended to a report of a firearm being discharged along with an injury to a person in the Whiskey Jack subdivision of Sparwood.

Upon attendance, police located a 65-year-old man with a shotgun wound to his lower left leg still sitting in his truck at a residence. Once the firearm was made safe, BC Ambulance then rolled in to address his medical concerns.

Police uncovered that the incident itself had occurred more toward the Line Creek area, where the man had quickly gone in his personal vehicle after not hearing from his wife, daughter and grandkids for several hours. Being concerned, especially after a recent bear attack in the valley, the man had brought along his shotgun.

Upon arriving near the location of his family’s camp and after loading the firearm in a rush, the man accidently discharged a round from the gun into his lower leg.  Rather bravely, the man made and applied a homemade tourniquet and continued onto the campsite out of urgency, where he found his family safe, but having locked their keys and cellphones into the car and unable to communicate as a result, reported S/Sgt. Svend Nielsen, Elk Valley RCMP Detachment commander.

The injured man transported his family back to their own residence prior to informing them of the lower leg injury, resulting in the family then contacting BC Ambulance who then contacted the RCMP to assist.

“As is normal practice in these events, all firearms were seized from the man at the outset of the investigation by Police. There are no indicators of self harm in this situation nor was there any danger to the public in general now or at the time of the incident,” S/Sgt. Nielsen said.

“Elk Valley Regional RCMP wish the man a quick recovery from an unfortunate event. Our investigation continues.”

e-KNOW file photo

Article Share