Man facing charges after shooting himself in groin

A Schuylkill County man is facing charges after an illegal handgun went off in his pants, injuring him.

Thomas Shawn Schreppel, 32, of Zion Grove, told police he was going with a friend to try to confront a romantic rival in Weatherly on Sept. 26, when the incident occurred.

Schreppel was arraigned on charges last Friday and sent to Carbon County Correctional Facility.

Police were initially called to Second Street because a man called 911, but then hung up. Witnesses nearby said they heard a shooting take place.

The witnesses said they saw two men get out of a maroon Jeep and walk down the street when they heard a gunshot. One man, later determined to be Schreppel, reportedly yelled, “I’m bleeding and I need to go to the hospital.”

The witnesses said the men got back in the Jeep and took off at a high rate of speed.

Officers directed 911 to contact area emergency rooms to alert them if any gunshot victims came in. A dispatcher responded that Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton had a man with a gunshot wound come in.

Police interviewed the victim, Schreppel, who told them his friend Cletus Mumie Jr., had dropped him off at the hospital.

Schreppel said Mumie had given him a handgun as part of a plan to confront a third man in Weatherly. Schreppel is not licensed to carry a concealed weapon.

He said they got out of the vehicle and started walking, but then realized they had to turn around. Just as he turned around, he heard the gun go off, and realized he shot himself in the genitals. He said he threw the gun in the back seat of the Jeep as they were headed to the hospital.

Police searched for the bullet, which passed through Schreppel’s leg, at the scene but were unable to locate it. They did locate a single .25-caliber shell.

They later uncovered text messages showing that a woman had contacted Mumie to forcefully remove a man from an apartment on Carbon Street because he was arguing with her roommate.

Police charged Schreppel with illegally possessing a firearm, aggravated assault and related charges. A preliminary hearing has been set for Oct. 31.