East St. Louis man says he was shot when stranger he was talking to dropped his gun
An East St. Louis man told police from a hospital bed that he was he was hit in the hand with buckshot when the stranger he was talking to dropped his sawed-off shot gun, which caused it to fire.
East St. Louis Police Sgt. Cantrell Patterson said the 29-year-old man, whose identity was not released, went to Touchette Regional Hospital in Centreville, where he gave his statement to police.
The incident occurred at 24th Street and Missouri Avenue Tuesday, he said.
“While the victim was talking to the unknown man the victim said he saw a sawed off shotgun in his right hand and that didn’t bother him. The victim said while the two of them were talking, the sawed off gun fell from the man’s hand, hit the ground and discharged,” Patterson said.
The victim called a family member who picked him up and drove him to the hospital.
“The responding officer told the victim if he gets any information about the man he said had the gun to call the police department,” Patterson said.
Thee was no immediate medical information available on the victim.
