Des Moines man shoots himself cleaning rifle; lies to police about drive-by shooting

Des Moines police responded to a report of a shooting early Tuesday morning only to eventually learn that the victim had accidentally shot himself while cleaning his rifle, according to a police report.

At around 4 a.m., Des Moines police were called to a home in the 3000 block of East 25th Street on a report of a shooting.

When officers arrived, they saw the 22-year-old victim on a couch with a gunshot wound in his thigh.

The victim said he been shot at three times by someone in a silver Honda at a nearby park, according to the report.

Officers noticed the victim was "in good spirits," and there was little blood from the wound.

As officers spoke with the victim, his story changed. He was unable to give any other details about the shooting or how he walked back home, according to the report.

While medics were treating the victim's wounds, officers spoke with family members.

The victim's brother said his brother left the house to go on a walk around 3:40 a.m., which was common. He returned 10 minutes later and told him he had been shot and to get their parents.

After officers spoke with the victim's mom and stepdad, the parents said they would not be surprised if the victim had made up the whole story and that they only knew what they had been told, according to the police report.

When officers searched the victim's room, they found blood on his bedsheets and several firearms, including a 20-gauge single barrel shotgun, a BB gun and an AR-style .22 rifle with magazines laying nearby.

After an officer examined the victim's pants, he noticed a barrel hole in the same shape as the rifle.

The victim later admitted to shooting himself while cleaning the gun and no one in his family knew about it, according to the police report.

Officers took the firearms for safekeeping.