GAINESVILLE - Gainesville Police said a member of the military unintentionally shot himself in the leg at the recruiting office in Gainesville Friday morning.
"It was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, not intentional, appears to be an accidental shooting in the office of the armed forces center," Gainesville Police Corporal Kevin Holbrook said.
Holbrook stressed that the incident was unintentional.
"This is an isolated incident and there is no cause for public alarm."
Holbrook said the male member of the Navy was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. Holbrook did not know the man's condition.
"The individual who was shot, who was handling the firearm was a member of the armed forces and did work for this recruiting office," Holbrook said.
Police and military officials were on the scene at the intersection of Dawsonville Highway and McEver Road Extension investigating the incident, which Holbrook said happened some time before 10:30 a.m.
"We are currently working the investigation with the military to ensure that all state laws from our end were not broken, and then they (military) will look at their current policies and procedures on their investigative end," Holbrook said.
He said police wanted to be proactive about releasing information on the case, as the region and country deal with Thursday's shooting deaths of four Marines in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
"Of course everyone is on higher alert. We know that this does cause suspicion, however there is no need or cause for public alarm."
