Man arrested in Berkeley after accidentally shooting himself
Police said he would be arrested on suspicion of being a prohibited person in possession of a gun as well as drug possession charges.
A man who accidentally shot himself in Berkeley on Saturday is now facing criminal charges, authorities report.
The man walked into Alta Bates Hospital on Ashby Avenue at about 1:50 p.m. seeking treatment for a gunshot wound, Berkeley police said.
The man was initially hesitant to share details about the shooting, but ultimately said he had shot himself accidentally while playing with the firearm in his office in the 1100 block of University Avenue, according to police.
The gun went off, leaving the man, who is in his 40s, with a gunshot wound to the leg, BPD said.
Read more about shootings in Berkeley.
The Berkeley Fire Department rushed the man from Alta Bates to Highland Hospital, which is the regional trauma center, for treatment.
BPD said officers found a firearm and suspected heroin in the man's car during the subsequent investigation.
Berkeley police said the man will now be arrested on suspicion of being a prohibited person in possession of a gun as well as drug possession charges.
Police said they are still working to confirm the location of the shooting as no one called BPD to report gunfire in the area where the man said it had taken place.
The suspect's name was unavailable pending the booking process. This story will be updated when it is posted.
Emilie Raguso
Berkeley gunfire is up in 2024
Saturday's shooting was the second time in recent days that a man with a gunshot wound showed up at Alta Bates for treatment.
On Thursday night, Berkeley police got multiple reports of gunfire in the area of Fairview and Harper streets at about 7:25 p.m.
A short time later, an individual "showed up at a local hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound," BPD said. He was also taken to Highland.
There have been nine shootings in Berkeley this year, up from three at this time last year.
Four men have been wounded by gunfire this year, although two of the incidents were accidental self-inflicted gunshot wounds, according to police.
Last year, only one person had been wounded by gunfire as of this time.
Update, March 25: The man was identified by police as 49-year-old Demps Archable III. He is being held on $147,500 bail on suspicion of gun and drug allegations, jail records show. He is set for arraignment Wednesday.
