Investigators say what was first reported as an accidental shooting was actually an attempted suicide Tuesday when a man shot himself through the chest in Joshua Tree National Park. 51-year-old Patrick Martin of Rancho Palos Verdes was in the Keys View area of the park when the incident occurred around 9 p.m. Joshua Tree Fire Department Engineer John Martin told Z107.7 News the man told responders he “tripped and fell and his loaded 9 mm handgun went off.” Campbell said he “decided to stay put overnight to take cover from the high winds blowing through the area.” He then started back down the trail around 5 a.m. Wednesday. Martin told first responders, “If I’m going to die from this, I’m going to die trying to get myself out of here,” so he hit the trail. Martin said, “It took him about three hours to get back down to the Key Views Parking area, not because of the pain from his wound, but because of shortness of breath.” Bystanders called paramedics about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday and Martin was airlifted to Desert Regional Medical Center. Riverside County sheriff’s deputy Albert Martinez said the shooting was investigated and ended up being an attempted suicide.
INVESTIGATORS SAY SHOOTING IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK WAS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE
