Police: Fire captain accidentally shoots self

A 51-year-old Detroit man is in critical condition after shooting himself in the groin while trying to holster his handgun Monday night on the city's west side, police said.

The self-shooting took place about 9:40 p.m. on the 6000 block of Hartford, said Officer Holly Lowe, a Detroit Police Department spokeswoman. That's south of Tireman and east of West Grand Boulevard.

The man was on the front porch and went to holster his handgun. But the gun went off, and a bullet struck the man in his groin.

The man is a captain and a 29-year veteran of the Detroit Fire Department, confirmed deputy commissioner Dave Fornell. He was off-duty at the time.

Medics responded and took the man to an area hospital, where he was in critical condition at last report.

"He was operated on, and he's in the (intensive care unit)," Fornell said. "His vitals are good. He's doing well."

jdickson@detroitnews.com