17 Oct 2011

Man hides gun down trousers, shoots himself in leg

8:07 pm on 17 October 2011

A man has shot himself in the leg while trying to hide a pistol down his trousers from police.

Officers say they were investigating reports of gun shots at Waitekauri in Waikato on Friday night.

They say a man pulled over at a police checkpoint and shot himself in the leg as he got out of the vehicle with a 22-calibre pistol concealed in the front of his trousers.

Police say the 35-year-old man, who does not have a firearms licence, was treated at the scene before being taken to Waikato Hospital.

It's understood he discharged himself with the bullet still embedded in his leg.

The man is expected to return to hospital today to have the bullet removed, before being spoken to by police in relation to firearms charges.

Sergeant Jim Corbett says the man's actions were stupid all round.