Police: Man accidentally shoots himself at Dick's Pawn

A man went to the hospital Saturday after accidentally shooting himself in the hand at Dick's Pawn Shop in the Surfside area, according to an Horry County police report.

The victim, a pawn shop employee, returned to work the next day, said general manager Richard Cundiff.

Officers responded to the pawn shop on Dick Pond Road after the victim accidentally shot himself between his middle and pinky fingers, an incident report said.

Cundiff said a customer came into the store to sell a gun, but the gun was defective and had a round stuck inside.

"When you do everything that's right to check them, there could still be a malfunction," Cundiff said.

When the customer came into the store to sell a pistol, an employee, who was also a witness, checked the gun at the door, authorities said. The employee then put the firearm behind the counter.

The victim then picked the weapon up and checked it, police said. He then said he pulled the trigger and the gun went off. The victim was taken to the hospital by a manager.

The complainant told police he was in the guitar section of the store when he heard a bang and then the victim scream, "I shot myself," the police report said.

The weapon was seized and put into evidence, officers said.

Cundiff said each of the pawn shop locations handle thousands of guns monthly, and each employee is trained on how to handle firearms.

"Even though we have signs not to bring loaded guns, customers still do sometimes," he said. "You gotta be very, very, extra careful. Always assume it's loaded."

Hannah Strong: 843-444-1765, @HannahLStrong

This story was originally published June 25, 2018 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Police: Man accidentally shoots himself at Dick's Pawn."