Hungry Horse man dies in accidental shooting

A 53-year-old Hungry Horse man accidentally shot himself to death Wednesday evening.

According to a news release from the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Donald McPheeters was playing with a .22-caliber magnum revolver, which he thought was unloaded, shortly before 6:30 p.m.

While playing with the gun, he pointed it at himself and pulled the trigger, shooting himself in the abdomen.

Three Rivers EMS was dispatched to the Hungry Horse Boulevard home, but McPheeters died at the scene.

“We have no autopsy results back, but undoubtedly the bullet position was such that it most likely hit some sort of major vessel,” Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said.

Curry added that McPheeters died in a matter of a few minutes after the shooting.

Alcohol was a factor in the incident.