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A 42-year-old Sheridan man was shot accidentally in the abdomen Friday night and had to be airlifted to Bozeman.

The man is in stable condition, Madison County Sheriff Roger Thompson said Saturday.

The incident happened at about 7 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Sheridan. The man with the rifle was parked on Main Street and moving his gun around in the back of his truck to make more room for seating, Thompson said. The rifle went off accidentally when the owner of the truck grabbed the rifle near the trigger. The victim was standing outside the truck, about to get into it.

The bullet went through the frame, fragmented, and struck the victim in the abdomen. He was taken to Ruby Valley Hospital in Sheridan before being airlifted to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital.

Thompson said no charges are expected at this time.

“Gun safety is always important and should be paramount all year long. This could have been a terrible tragedy beyond just an injury,” Thompson said.

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