Manlius, NY -- A prankster who made animal noises to frighten a group of friends in the woods suffered shotgun wounds after one of them opened fire in the dark, Manlius Police said.

Jeremy J. Messina, 21, of 113 E. Second St., East Syracuse, was charged this morning with felony reckless endangerment after firing his shotgun three or four times, police said. He was sent to the Onondaga County Justice Center jail with bail set at $2,500 cash or $10,000 bond.

The victim had been making animal noises to frighten a group of about 10 to 15 people — all in their early 20s — around a bonfire, said Sgt. Tina Stanton.

The victim, Stephen M. Comrie, 20, of Manlius, was able to walk out of the woods at 6545 Fremont Road after the shooting and checked himself in to Crouse Hospital’s emergency room. He was treated and released this morning, police said.

Police were called about 12:30 a.m. Stanton provided the following account:

The victim was invited to an outdoor party on Fremont Road around 11:30 p.m. He was told not to drive in, since the trails were muddy.

On his way to the bonfire, he and another man decided to play a prank on the group. Crouching low, they started making animal noises for about five to 10 minutes.

At some point, Messina is accused of firing his shotgun in the direction of Comrie, striking him in the face, right forearm, chest and right thigh. Comrie yelled for him to stop shooting, which he did.

The property where the shooting took place includes a residence and a field, with wooded areas behind. About six trucks driven into the woods became stuck and had to be retrieved today.

The property owner, who identified himself as Tom, said he knew a group of young adults were on the trails, but said he didn’t know about the shooting until a police helicopter flew overhead and police arrived around 2 a.m. The property is owned by Tom Scott, according to property records.

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