A Wilton man was injured after a Saturday afternoon hunting trip when his companion’s gun discharged, shooting him in the leg, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game officials.
Kenneth Simpson, 83, of Lyndeborough, and Gary Ciardelli, 82, of Wilton were hunting together in Lyndeborough on Saturday, and around sunset at 5 p.m. had just returned to their vehicle when the shooting occurred, according to a press release issued by New Hampshire Fish and Game on Saturday.
Simpson unloaded Ciardelli’s Remington Model 33 722 bolt-action hunting rifle, but did not remove all of the rounds before placing it into the vehicle, according to the release.
“As the rifle was being placed into the vehicle, a round remaining in the chamber was fired. The bullet traveled across the passenger side of the vehicle, through the leg of Ciardelli who was sitting in the driver’s seat, and continued through the driver’s side door,” the release stated.
Ciardelli’s injury is considered serious but not life-threatening.
Simpson provided first aid to Ciardelli and drove him directly to the Wilton Ambulance Service on Forest Road in Wilton. While en route, Ciardelli’s wife, who had been informed of the incident by phone, contacted 911, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game Lt. Bill Boudreau. Wilton Ambulance personnel treated Ciardelli for his gunshot wound at the Wilton Ambulance Service bay and transported him to Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
Boudreau said Monday there have been no charges yet filed against Simpson, but there potentially could be, even if the discharge was unintentional. Negligent discharge of a firearm is a misdemeanor, and if convicted, Simpson could lose the ability to hold a hunting license for 10 years, Boudreau said.
“In our line of work, we don’t call this kind of thing an ‘accident,’ but an ‘incident,’” Boudreau said. “Because with firearms, there really shouldn’t be accidents.”
Most negligent discharges occur during the unloading of firearms, particularly when the person is not familiar with the firearm, which was the case in Saturday’s incident, when Simpson was unloading Ciardelli’s rifle, Boudreau said.
“This is a good opportunity to remind people, that when unloading your weapon, you always keep your finger off the trigger and pointed in a safe direction,” Boudreau said. “The firearm should never have been pointed in the victim’s direction. Treat every weapon as if it was loaded. That’s how these types of incidents are avoided.”
New Hampshire Fish and Game officers were assisted in the investigation by the Wilton Police Department, Milford Police Department, Wilton Ambulance Service and the New Hampshire State Police.
This incident remains under investigation, and anyone with any pertinent information is asked to contact Conservation Officer Thomas R. Houghton at New Hampshire Fish and Game at 603-271-3361 or the New Hampshire State Police Dispatch at 603-852-3411.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.