Fairfield PD: Delivery driver accidentally shot himself in the chest

A man was critically injured after accidently shooting himself in the chest at Wings over Fairfield on Black Rock Turnpike on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. A man was critically injured after accidently shooting himself in the chest at Wings over Fairfield on Black Rock Turnpike on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. Photo: Google Street View Photo: Google Street View Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Fairfield PD: Delivery driver accidentally shot himself in the chest 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

FAIRFIELD — A Trumbull man who was in critical condition after a shooting at Wings Over Fairfield is a restaurant employee who accidentally shot himself, police said.

Lt. Robert Kalamaras said Wednesday that the 24-year-old man — whose identity has not yet been released by police — was in critical but stable condition after the Tuesday night shooting.

There was no update on the man’s condition Wednesday evening.

Shortly after 9 p.m., an employee at the Wings Over Fairfield at 2705 Black Rock Turnpike called 911 to report that a restaurant delivery driver had been shot behind the building.

Officers found the victim lying on his back in the rear hallway of the business with a gunshot wound to the chest.

“A preliminary investigation and evidence recovered at the scene revealed that this is an isolated incident and that there is no public threat,” Kalamaras said.

Police believe the shooting was self-inflicted and accidental, Kalamaras said.

After the shooting, the man was taken to St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, where he underwent emergency surgery. Police said the man shot himself with a revolver, but were unable to release details on whether he had an active gun permit.

Back in 2013, a Bridgeport police officer shot himself in the leg while checking out a gun in a crowded Bagel King in Bridgeport. No one else was injured.

Initially, there were protests for the officer, 56-year-old Juan Santiago, to be arrested. Instead, then-Chief Joseph Gaudett turned the investigation over to state police.

In the end, Santiago, a 29-year veteran of the police force, was granted entry to a special probation program.