Iowa Hawkeyes wrestler Sam Stoll injured in accidental shooting, police say

Aimee Breaux | Press Citizen

Show Caption Hide Caption Hawkeyes’ Sam Stoll talks program future, bonus points Iowa heavyweight Sam Stoll took fifth with three pins and a major decision.

A key wrestler on the University of Iowa team was treated for a gunshot wound to his knee Tuesday morning.

Sam Stoll, 22, was shot in the knee early Tuesday in what police say appears to be from an accidental discharge. Police were notified about the shooting at 4:37 a.m., while Stoll was being treated at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The injury is not life threatening, the Iowa City Police Department said in a news release.

Stoll was released from the hospital Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.

Iowa coach Tom Brands told the AP Wednesday that Stoll had surgery Tuesday and he is "doing well."

Authorities say the investigation is ongoing. Iowa athletic officials were gathering information, and Brands told the AP that the school will follow its code of conduct policies once the police conclude their investigation.

A preliminary investigation revealed that several people were in a residence on Valley Avenue in Iowa City, blocks away from UI's Carver-Hawkeye Arena, when a person discharged a firearm, accidentally striking Stoll in the knee, according to police.

Police did not provide more details about the investigation Tuesday or Wednesday, including who fired the weapon or if charges would be filed.

Stoll is an All-American heavyweight for the Iowa wrestling program. The Kasson, Minnesota, native joined the Hawkeyes as a heralded recruit, wherein he recorded 63 consecutive pins to end his high school career.

After redshirting in 2014-15, Stoll joined the starting lineup in 2015-16. A series of knee injuries marred his first couple of years, but this past season, Stoll went 25-6 and placed fifth at the NCAA Championships. He is 54-14 overall with one year of eligibility remaining.

It's unclear how the injury will affect the All-American wrestler heading into his senior year at UI. In a one-sentence statement from the UI Athletics Department, officials said they are aware of the shooting and "currently gathering additional information."

Des Moines Register reporter Cody Goodwin contributed to this story.