Sheriff's Office: Westminster man summoned after shooting himself in the thigh

DENVER (KDVR) — The Boulder County Sheriff's Office says a man was summoned after he “negligently discharged a pistol he was handling” and shot himself in the leg.

Around 2 p.m. Sunday, dispatchers received a text message to 911 reporting a man had committed suicide near Bunce School Rd. in Boulder County.

Authorities later learned that a 44-year-old Westminster man fired the gun he was holding and struck himself in the upper thigh.

He was camping with family members who were using a belt as a makeshift tourniquet to stop the heavy bleeding, the sheriff's office said.

The family brought the man into a car to drive and were met by crews from the Allenspark Fire Protection District who were searching for them on Highway 7 (South St. Vrain Rd.), west from Lyon.

The family transported the victim by car from the campground and was met by Allenspark and Lyon firefighters searching for them on Highway 7/South St. Vrain, west of Lyon.

The man was then transported to a nearby hospital by the Lyon Fire Department, and is in stable condition.

As the Boulder County Sheriff's Office investigated, it was determined that alcohol played a role in the negligent dismissal. BCSO said the man was issued a summons.