Accidental Shooting

Accidental Shooting

On January 23, 2018 at 3:03 PM, officers responded to the report of a shooting victim at 850 West Jackson Street. The investigation revealed  that three men had been target practicing at a residence on Apple Valley Court. One of the men thought he had unloaded a .22 caliber rifle before returning to the home. While the men were walking back to the residence the weapon discharged striking one of the men in the back. As the victim was being transported to the Cookeville Hospital by private vehicle his condition deteriorated. The men stopped at 850 West Jackson Street and called the Putnam County Ambulance service. The victim was ultimately transported to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center by air ambulance for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.

Although this investigation is ongoing, we believe this incident to be an accidental shooting. No charges are expected at this time. We want to reiterate the importance of treating all firearms as if they are loaded and to remember that muzzle control should always be maintained when handling a firearm.