Navy SEAL from Valley remains on life support; NCIS investigating

Staff report

BOARDMAN

A Navy SEAL and Boardman High School alumnus remained on life support Friday after an accidental shooting in Pacific Beach, a San Diego neighborhood.

San Diego police said the 22-year-old man accidentally shot himself in the head about 2 a.m. PST Thursday in his condo.

The man was identified by local media as Gene “Geno” Clayton, son of Clayton Heating and Cooling business owner Gene Clayton. The Navy and San Diego police still hadn’t officially released the man’s name Friday.

A woman who answered the Claytons’ home phone Friday said the family had no comment.

The wounded man’s family members have arrived in San Diego, said Lt. Cmdr. Frank Magallon, a Naval Special Warfare Group 1 spokesman, who did not confirm the man’s identity.

The man who was shot recently completed his SEAL training and had just reported in to a West Coast-based SEAL Team, Magallon said.

The accident is being investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, he said.

“On behalf of the entire Naval Special Warfare community, we are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident and extend both our hearts and prayers to our teammate’s family during this very difficult time,” said Commodore Collin P. Green, commander of Naval Special Warfare Group 1, in a statement.

San Diego police said the man was in his condo showing a gun to a woman he had met in a nightclub. He placed the gun to his head and pulled the trigger in an effort to prove to the woman that the gun was not loaded, police said. A second man in the condo was asleep and did not hear the gunshot, according to records.

A San Diego police spokeswoman said Friday that the shooting is still considered accidental and no additional information was available.