A Fourth of July partygoer showed up at a Palm Coast hospital late Friday with a gunshot wound to the groin and claimed the wound came from his own gun, which went off accidentally when someone brushed up against the gun that was holstered near his groin.

A Fourth of July partygoer showed up at a Palm Coast hospital late Friday with a gunshot wound to the groin and claimed the wound came from his own gun, which went off accidentally when someone brushed up against the gun that was holstered near his groin.

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office investigators, however, discovered evidence that the man falsely reported details of the shooting, according to incident reports.

According to a Sheriff’s Office report, a man identified only as “Carter” showed up at AdventHealth Palm Coast late Friday to be treated for a gunshot wound in the groin. He told a deputy who questioned him at the hospital that he was watching the fireworks show and drinking alcohol at Ocean Hammock Resort, 200 Ocean Crest Drive. He claimed he was armed with a legally concealed Glock pistol that he holstered near his groin. The man said an unknown person at the show touched his groin area while he was standing in a parking lot near the beach approach at 16th Road, accidentally causing his gun to fire a single round.

There were no reports of any shootings in the area and no evidence that any rounds were fired in the parking lot. When officers asked the man what kind of holster he had that would allow for the pistol’s trigger to be touched, he couldn’t recall.

The man gave officers permission to search his vehicle, according to reports. The deputy spotted blood and a hole in the driver’s seat, a plastic holster in the driver’s side floorboard, and a pistol on the passenger’s side floorboard.

“It appeared that the incident occurred inside the vehicle and not as Carter described it,” deputies stated in their reports.

Due to the conflicting reports, officers discontinued searching the vehicle and sought out a warrant. No one had been charged as of Tuesday.