Burlington man shoots self in the hand

A Burlington man Thursday accidentally shot himself in the hand with a handgun, according to a news release issued Thursday from the South Burlington Police Department.

Simon L. Waters, 37, had just purchased two weapons and made a stop at the Merchants Bank at 275 Kennedy Drive in South Burlington, police said.

Waters, while in the parking lot, attempted to remove the weapon from its holster while a business associate was in the bank, police said. While removing the gun his finger was on the trigger and the weapon discharged.

The bullet went through the palm of Waters' left hand. The bullet never exited the driver's compartment of the vehicle, police said.

Numerous officers from the South Burlington Police Department and the South Burlington Fire Department responded to the scene. The bank was determined safe, police said.

Officers interviewed a witness, Waters and the driver of the vehicle who was in the bank at the time the gun was discharged.

"It was determined to be nothing more than an accidental discharge of a firearm by an individual that was unfamiliar with that firearm," police said in a news release.

Waters was transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.

Contact Haley Dover at 660-1850 or hdover@freepressmedia.com. Follow Haley on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HaleyRDover.