Glacier visitor fires gun after son injured by rock

Glacier National Park has had a second incident involving someone discharging a firearm in the park.

The Sunday incident involved a father and son from Alabama who were returning from a hike to the 10,014-foot-high summit of Mount Siyeh when a rock became dislodged and nearly struck the son, who was injured trying to avoiding the rock.

The son had cuts on his head and chin, according to Sarah Grieb, a Glacier Park public affairs officer.

To attract attention, the father fired a handgun and started yelling for help. Nearby hikers responded and were able to contact park personnel. 

The father and son eventually were able to continue their hike out, and along the way they met up with rangers.

The Two Bear Air helicopter was used to hoist the injured hiker out, transporting him to a corral at Apgar, where he was picked up by an ambulance and taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

It has been legal to carry firearms in the park since 2010, but it remains illegal to discharge firearms in the park under most circumstances.

Several weeks ago, a Texas man discharged a canister of bear spray and fired a weapon at a bear that he said was charging at him along the Mount Brown Lookout Trail. The bear was believed to be wounded but has not been located.

The trail was closed for investigative and safety purposes but was reopened last week.