Hiker's Gun In Backpack Discharges, Shoots Him In The Leg In Rocky Mountain National Park

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. (CBS4)- A 70-year-old man was accidentally shot in the leg while hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. It happened in the Emerald Lake area on July 19.

Park rangers say the man was hiking with a gun in his backpack. When he stopped and set the backpack on a rock, the weapon fired, striking him in the leg. The bullet did not exit his leg.

People in the area helped the man with first aid. Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue team members responded and carried him out on a litter where he was taken by ambulance to a meadow in the Glacier Basin Campground. He was then flown out in a medical helicopter to the Medical Center of the Rockies.

Rocky Mountain National Park released this statement: It is the responsibility of visitors to understand and comply with all applicable state, local, and federal firearm laws before entering the park. Open carry of handguns and rifles, and transport of the same in vehicles, is permitted. Concealed carry is allowed pursuant to a legal Colorado concealed carry permit and applicable state reciprocity laws. Federal law prohibits firearms in certain facilities (visitor centers, ranger stations, government offices); places that are marked with signs at all public entrances. Recreational target shooting or discharge of a firearm is not allowed in Rocky Mountain National Park. Firearms should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy. Bear spray and other safety precautions are the proven methods for preventing bear and other wildlife interactions.