Friday mid-morning, the Kodiak Police Department notified the Alaska State Troopers of a possible shooting that had occurred the previous night in Kodiak.

After the 9:39 am call on Friday, troopers opened up an investigation of the incident. “The call to the troopers by the Kodiak Police Department was prompted by a phone call from a concerned citizen to KPD asking about any recent reports of a gunshot injury,” stated Alaska State Trooper Spokeswoman Beth Ipsen.

The trooper investigation would determine that a 33-year-old Kodiak resident had taken a .44 Magnum pistol from a vehicle without permission on Wednesday. The following day, Thursday, the 33-year-old suspect as well as an unidentified 25-year-old Anchorage resident, went for a drive in the Kodiak area.

While out driving, the two individuals began to consume alcohol. According to Spokeswoman Beth Ipsen, “The driver was operating the vehicle with one hand on the wheel and was handling the cocked and loaded firearm with the other hand, when it accidentally discharged, striking him in the knee.”

As a result of the firearm discharge, the passenger was also struck by shrapnel from the blast.

After the shooting, the two unidentified individuals concocted a story to cover up the gunshot wound and the victim was taken to the Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center. At the hospital, the gunshot victim told hospital staff that he had received the injury while falling down on a construction site.

The investigation by troopers led them to query the hospital to find if any gunshot victims had been admitted to the hospital, the hospital reported no such incidents. When questioned further, hospital staff related that they had an injury that could have been sustained by gunfire.

Troopers would find out the true nature of the victim’s injury and their investigation would take them on a successful search, where they located the firearm as well as the vehicle involved.

The investigation into the shooting is continuing and the AST anticipates that charges of Theft II, Assault III, Tampering with Evidence and Misconduct Involving Weapons will be forwarded to the Kodiak District Atorny’s office at a later date.

The subject who shot himself has not been arrested as he is still in the hospital receiving treatment for his wound. The subjects name was not released as he has not been charged as yet in the incedent.