CARVER, Minn. — A motorcyclist is recovering after being hit by a stray bullet as he approached an intersection just southwest of Carver Tuesday night.
Carver County Sheriff Jason Kamerud says dispatchers received a 911 call reporting a rider had been shot around 6:15 p.m. while riding down County Road 40 as he approached the intersection with Homestead Road.
Deputies arrived to learn the victim had managed to get his motorcycle to the side of the road safely while one of his riding partners called authorities.
The preliminary investigation indicates that a group was target shooting on a property right off County Road 40, and a stray bullet missed the target and struck the rider in the chest. A neighbor told KARE11 that they heard five or six shots in succession.
"This event really underscores the importance of being sure of your target, and what is beyond your target," Kamerud said.
The victim was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), where he remains in stable/satisfactory condition. Sheriff Kamerud says he was talking via phone with his riding group, which is a good sign.
At this point investigators are trying to determine which person in the group taking target practice fired the shot that hit the rider. Kamerud says there were multiple guns on the property and that he has requested help from the Minnesota BCA to analyze evidence.
It is unclear whether criminal charges will be filed. Once the investigation is complete, the Carver County Attorney will make that decision. Because the shooting did not happen within a city or a school zone, charges could range from a felony to a misdemeanor depending on several factors.