Man accidentially shoots himself in the groin at a Port St. Lucie home

PORT ST. LUCIE — An 18-year-old man accidentally shot himself in the genitals early Thursday at a home in central Port St. Lucie, according to a Port St. Lucie police report and a police spokesman.

An officer early Thursday morning was dispatched to a local hospital where the 18-year-old man initially said someone was driving by as he walked home and shot him in the groin area.

The man later said he was at a friend's home in the 200 block of Southeast Verada Avenue cleaning his .357 Magnum revolver when he "somehow accidentally shot himself in the groin and leg area," a report states. He said he had a friend drive him to the hospital, where a doctor told police the bullet lodged in his thigh after striking his genitals.

The man said he bought the handgun from someone at a party more than a month ago.

Police said the incident is an accident and that the man is not expected to face any criminal charges.

Police went to the home and recovered the gun. While there, investigators found a small amount of marijuana.

The home's owner, Joseph Lamar James, 32, was arrested on possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia charges, according to Sgt. Frank Sabol, police spokesman.