Police: Man Mistakes Gun for Lighter, Accidentally Shoots Hand

Target employee injures himself with gun that fell out of customer's pocket, police say

An employee at a North Texas Target accidentally shot himself in the hand with a gun dropped by a customer on Wednesday afternoon, police say.

Hurst Police Assistant Chief Steve Niekamp said a shopper with a concealed handgun license brought the .22 caliber revolver into the store at 1400 Precinct Line Road. As he was leaving, the small gun fell out of his pocket without his knowledge.

A store employee who found the gun thought it was a lighter and tested the trigger, shooting himself in the hand, Niekamp said.

He was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

No one else was injured.

Police do not anticipate filing any criminal charges in the incident.

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