- A Deerfield man will be summonsed into court on charges related to the accidental shooting of his wife Friday night and then lying to police about how it happened, police said.

The man, Michael S. Snyder of 110 Hillside Road, will be summonsed into court on charges of discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, possession of a large-capacity firearm without a permit, and misleading a criminal investigation.

Police were called to Snyder's residence just before 10 p.m. for a reported gunshot wound. Officers and

EMT

s found Snyder's wife, who was not identified by police, had been shot once in the midsection.

Both Snyder and his wife told police at the scene that he had been cleaning his .40-caliber Glock handgun when it accidentally went off, police said.

Officers grew suspicious over numerous inconsistencies with their story and continued to investigate, police said.

The State Police Detective, Crime Scene and Ballistics units each responded to the scene and aided in the investigation, police said.

The investigation determined that Snyder and his wife were not cleaning the gun when it discharged. Instead, Snyder was demonstrating to her how to properly load the weapon when it discharged. The bullet struck her in the lower abdomen and exited out her upper thigh, police said.

She was transported by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. Police had requested a Lifeflight emergency helicopter but it was unable to fly due to the weather.

Police have seized all weapons in the household, police said.