Police: Teen shoots himself in the foot in West Philadelphia

File photo.
Credit: Rikard Larma / Metro

A 19-year-old man shot himself in the foot early Saturday morning, then concocted a bogus story to cover his misstep, according to police.

Investigators said officers shortly after 3 a.m. responded to a report of a shooting victim at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, located at 2801 Island Ave. in the Eastwick section of West Philadelphia.

There, they found a 19-year-old man who had been shot in the foot.

The victim allegedly told officers that, as he was walking home, he saw two black males arguing on the corner.

He said he tried to walk past the men, but they both looked at him and said something he couldn’t understand, according to police.

The victim then allegedly told investigators he continued walking but heard a gunshot and felt pain in his right foot.

Police said he told them he called a friend, who picked him up and drove him to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital.

Detectives went to the hospital to check out the incident.

There, they allegedly determined the gunshot wound appeared to have been self-inflicted.

Authorities said Sunday the investigation was ongoing.