A hiker in Joshua Tree National Park shot himself in the chest Tuesday night and lived to tell the tale. According to Engineer John Martin of the Joshua Tree fire station, about 9 p.m. Tuesday night, Patrick Campbell, 50, of Rancho Palos Verde was hiking Inspiration Point near Key’s View when he tripped and fell, causing his handgun to go off. The 9-mm bullet entered his chest right above his heart and went completely through him, coming out his back, missing all his vital organs. Campbell laid down in a protected area to get out of the strong winds over night. According to Martin, Campbell told them, if he was going to die, he was at least going to die trying to rescue himself. It took Campbell three to four hours to hike half a mile down to the parking lot at Key’s View to get help, and bystanders at Key’s View called Joshua Tree paramedics about 8:30 Wednesday morning. Campbell said it took him so long to hike down to get help because he was so short of breath from the gunshot wound. When paramedics arrived, Campbell was sitting up and talking and said he had never lost consciousness. Campbell was taken by helicopter to Desert Hospital in Palm Springs where he is expected to make a full recovery.
MAN ACCIDENTALLY SHOOTS HIMSELF IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, LIVES TO TELL THE TALE
