Niles man accidentally shoots self

NILES

A 50-year-old Franklin Avenue man suffered a gunshot wound to the upper chest at 2:35 a.m. Monday that he said occurred while he was trying to load the weapon.

Russell L. Ritter was taken to ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital for his injuries. The hospital said Monday it could not release any information on him.

When police arrived, they found Ritter on the living room couch and the weapon on the floor near the couch.

Ritter said he was trying to load the handgun when it went off.

Two women, aged 24 and 34, said they were upstairs getting ready for bed when they heard the gunshot. The bullet that apparently hit Ritter was recovered from a couch cushion.