Colorado Springs man shoots self instead of raccoon

A man in southeast Colorado Springs saw a raccoon on a telephone pole and tried to shoot it down, but instead ended up shooting himself.

It’s not really clear how he bungled the shot, but Springs police say 67-year-old Don Upshaw was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries — and to add injunction to injury, he’s now facing a criminal charge.

Police got a call about a shot fired near 2500 Weston Road around 12:15 a.m. Wednesday and found Upshaw in a garage on Delta Drive. Upshaw had a gunshot wound in his lower leg.

He explained to officers that he was trying to shoot the raccoon with his revolver but ended up on the wrong side of the barrel. Upshaw was cited for prohibited use of a weapon.