× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

A man was shot in the buttocks and lower back Tuesday evening outside a south Tulsa apartment when his friend forgot that a shotgun was loaded and accidentally pulled the trigger, police said.

The shooting happened about 6:45 p.m. at the Creekwood Apartments, near 81st Street and 77th East Avenue, Sgt. Mark Watson said. It occurred as the victim — 22-year-old Eric Merrell — was walking up the stairs to the apartment he shares with Mitchell Case.

Cse fired the gun from the kitchen, and Merrell was hit with bird shot, Watson said.

Following the shooting, Case loaded Merrell into his pickup, planning to take him to a hospital, and called 911. A dispatcher recommended that he pull over in the nearest parking lot, which happened to be the Wal-Mart Supercenter at 6625 S. Memorial Drive, and wait for emergency responders, Watson said.

From there, an EMSA ambulance took the wounded man to Saint Francis Hospital. He is expected to recover, Watson said.

Police interviewed the two men separately and learned that their stories matched, so the shooter was not arrested, Watson said.

“This was a total accident. He didn’t have any intent or anything like that. He was very cooperative with us,” Watson said.

Paighten Harkins 918-581-8455 paighten.harkins@tulsaworld.com