John McCarthy
FREDERIKSTED — Police are investigating after a merrymaker “accidentally” shot himself in the leg at the Christmas Festival Village on Sunday night, authorities said.
An officer asked Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to go to the Coney Island area of the Christmas
Festival Village regarding a self-inflicted gunshot victim about 9:53 p.m. Sunday, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
“The individual was later identified as an adult and a valid licensed gun owner with a gunshot wound to his right calf, ” VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said.
A Crime Scene Technician (CST) collected the firearm, a Canik MC9 9mm, and a spent shell casing at the scene, according to Chichester.
The gunshot victim was transported to the Juan F. Luis Hospital Emergency Room by ambulance for treatment, police said.
Detectives met with the victim, who said that on December 29,2024, after 9:00 p.m., he was on an amusement park ride with his minor child when the incident occurred, according to police.
“He was adjusting his firearm holster that was in an Appendix Carry position (when) his firearm discharged,” Chichester said.
The unnamed victim was treated for “a superficial gunshot wound to his right calf area and released,” she said.
No other people were injured during the accidental discharging of the firearm, police said.
