St. Louis County, Minnesota (trfnews.i234.me) A 67-year-old Makinen man was hurt Saturday. Authorities said the shooting was accidental.
Makinen is east of Hibbing and north of Duluth. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said the man called 911 at 12:06 a.m. He reported a gunshot wound to his leg.
Deputies said the man lives alone. They said he lives on the 3,300 block of Kurt Lane in Makinen. The sheriff’s office did not release his name.
What investigators say happened
The man told dispatchers he woke up to a noise in his home. He said he retrieved a handgun for protection. The sheriff’s office said the gun was a .45-caliber pistol.
Authorities said the man later fell back asleep. Deputies said he was still holding the pistol. They said it fired once while he slept. The round struck his leg, deputies said.
Injury and response
The sheriff’s office said the injury was not believed to be life-threatening. Emergency medical crews responded to the scene. The man was taken by EMS to an area hospital for treatment.
Officials did not report any threat to the public. No other injuries were reported. The case was described as accidental by the sheriff’s office.
What we know so far
- The 911 call came in just after midnight Saturday.
- The caller was a 67-year-old man from Makinen.
- The injury involved a gunshot wound to one leg.
- Deputies said a .45-caliber pistol was involved.
- The man was taken to a hospital for care.
Safety reminder
The sheriff’s office urges residents to handle firearms with care. Store guns unloaded and locked when not in use. Keep ammo stored separately when possible.
If you hear a suspicious noise, consider moving to a safe room. Call 911 as soon as you can. Avoid handling a firearm when you are tired.
For local public safety information, visit the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office website. You can also review the county’s 911 Emergency Communications page.
For safe storage tips, see Project ChildSafe. Minnesota residents can also find training options through the Minnesota DNR firearms safety program.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.