A Florida man died Thursday after he accidentally shot himself in the heart while on his bicycle, according to St. Petersburg police.
Troy Earl Smith, 25, was found on the 1400 block of 18th Avenue by a bystander at a nearby barber shop who called police after seeing Smith fall to the ground, St. Petersburg Police spokesperson Michael Puetz told Guns.com. Smith was transported to Bayfront Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Police told Guns.com that Smith did not have a concealed carry permit for the .380 he was carrying in his pocket and it is still unclear if the gun belonged to him. Detectives are still reviewing evidence, including video obtained from nearby businesses. Police also don’t know why Smith was carrying the gun.
Investigators say the gun was fired while still inside of his jacket, which could indicate he was reaching for his cell phone or some other item in the same pocket, Puetz said.
Puetz has spent more than 30 years as a police officer. He told Guns.com that what Smith did “wasn’t the safest methodology” for the concealed carrying a gun and advises against pocket carrying.
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