Navy SEAL accidentally shoots self in head

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/region-navy-seal-accidentally-shoots-self-in-head/article_99947986-9e53-5204-8453-ac9954e2656f.html

A 22-year-old Navy SEAL was gravely wounded early today when he shot himself in the head at his Pacific Beach home while trying to convince a companion that the pistol he was showing off was safe to handle, authorities said.

The shooting in the 1800 block of Grand Avenue left the sailor on life support at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, according to San Diego police. Authorities initially reported that the man had died.

The serviceman, who had been drinking with a woman at a bar before they returned to his residence, was showing her his 9 mm handgun when the accident occurred, SDPD Officer Frank Cali said.

The man offered to let his friend hold the weapon, which he mistakenly believed was unloaded, according to Cali. When she declined, he tried to demonstrate how safe it was by putting it to his head and pulling the trigger.

The sailor, whose name was not released, graduated recently from the Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams program, which trains elite special-operations tactical units.