UPDATE: St. Paul police: Man’s gun fires, hits leg during interaction with officers

KSTP
[KSTP/ Chris Knoll]

A man was hospitalized Friday morning after St. Paul police said his gun fired, hitting him in the leg, while officers were conducting a pat-down search.

The incident reportedly happened at about 1:15 a.m. near York Avenue and Earl Street.

A release from the St. Paul Police Department states officers were patrolling the area when they reported seeing two people acting suspiciously.

During the investigation, one of the individuals was detained, according to the release. The department reported that during a search of that man, a gun was discovered, and that "at some point, the gun discharged, striking the man in the leg."

The man was taken to Regions Hospital, where is is in "stable condition" and is currently under arrest for being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the department.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will investigate the incident, per St. Paul Police Department policy. Three officers who were at the scene when the gun fired will also be placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure, according to the department.