A man accidentally shot himself in the hand while unloading his weapon at the Foothills Public Shooting Complex.

The incident happened around 2:50 p.m. Sunday while the 35-year-old man was shooting at Range 2, a 20-yard pistol range. He was using a Smith and Wesson SD40 at the time.

The man was transported by ambulance to Atrium Health Cleveland in Shelby with non-life threatening injuries. The man was administered first-aid onsite until an ambulance arrived.

The Foothills Public Shooting Complex closed immediately following the incident.

The man�s wife was present when the incident occurred and told officials that it was an accidental shooting, according to county officials.

�Safety is our top priority and we are saddened that someone was accidentally injured,� County Manager Brian Epley said. �We are sending our best wishes to the man and his family and we hope that he makes a full recovery.�

According to Cleveland County spokesperson Janet Hart, one of the primary safety protocols in place at the shooting complex is that individuals cannot bring their weapons in already loaded. Visitors are instructed to load and unload their weapon in the range lane from which they will be shooting.

First-time visitors are required to watch a safety video prior to shooting at the complex. According to Hart, this was the second time the man involved had visited the complex.

Other safety measures include each range having a range officer present while the range is open and concrete walls between the shooting lanes of each range.

�These protocols reduce the potential for staff or other visitors to be injured in the event of an accident,� Hart said.

Casey White can be reached at 704-669-3339 or cwhite@shelbystar.com.