FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) - A Fairbanks man has turned himself in after he acknowledged to police that he accidentally shot somebody with a 12-gauge shotgun.
Fairbanks police went to a call Saturday afternoon and found 36-year-old Vernon Smoke with a gunshot wound to his stomach.
About 15 minutes later, police received a call from 37-year-old Adrian Mendizabal saying he accidentally shot Smoke.
Mendizabal told police he “bartered” for the shotgun a few days prior. He had said he believed Smoke and others were out to get him, so he went to an apartment to confront them and accidentally shot Smoke while thinking the gun was safety locked.
Mendizabal had told police he then ran from the apartment and called 911.
Mendizabal was detained without incident and the shotgun believed to be used was found a short distance away from him, police said.
He has been charged with first-degree assault and tampering with evidence.
Smoke underwent surgery for life-threatening injuries. Police on Saturday expected him to be airlifted to a Seattle hospital.
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