NEWARK, Ohio - A Newark man was killed last night when a gun he was handling accidentally fired. Christopher Byerly, 23, was visiting a friend at 569 E. Main St. Newark Police Sgt. Paul Davis said that Byerly was carelessly handling a firearm that belonged to the resident.

NEWARK, Ohio � A frantic 911 call described a mishap with a gun that cost a Newark man his life on Monday night.

Christopher Byerly, 23, was visiting a friend at 569 E. Main St. Newark Police Sgt. Paul Davis said Byerly was carelessly handling a firearm that belonged to the resident.

�My friend, he grabbed my gun from me. I was trying to put it up and he grabbed it. Please. Please,� said a 911 caller, identified only as Logan, at about 8:45 p.m.

As a dispatcher tried to calm the obviously upset caller, he continued, �I was trying to grab the gun and it flipped around and his thumb hit the trigger and shot him in the chest.�

The caller said Byerly was still breathing but not responsive as he waited for emergency crews to arrive.

Byerly, whose last known address was 88 N. Buena Vista St. in Newark, was taken to Licking Memorial Hospital, where he died.

Davis said there was no evidence of any criminal activity.

�It was completely accidental,� Davis said. �We don�t anticipate any type of criminal charges being filed.�

elyttle@dispatch.com

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