Petaluma Man Accidentally Shoots Friend With SKS Rifle: Police

PETALUMA, CA — A Petaluma man accidentally shot his friend Monday night, causing life-threatening injuries, police said.

According to Petaluma police, dispatchers got a 911 call at 11:30 p.m. from 21-year-old William Gingras-McCauley who said he had shot his friend at a residence in the 1400 block of Mountain View Avenue, off McNear Avenue.

Petaluma police and fire personnel responded and the victim, also a 21-year-old man, was rushed to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries, Petaluma police Sgt. Paul Gilman said.

"Gingras-McCauley admitted to accidentally discharging an SKS rifle, inadvertently striking the victim in the upper torso," Gilman said. "He admitted that they had both consumed alcoholic beverages throughout the evening leading up to the shooting."

The others at the house — three residents and one houseguest were present at the time of the incident — corroborated Gingras-McCauley's story, Gilman said.

Thanks to the efforts of Petaluma police officers, firefighter/paramedics and Emergency Room staff, the victim is expected to survive, Gilman said.

As for Gingras-McCauley, he was taken to Sonoma County Jail where he was booked on suspicion of one count of negligent discharge of a firearm causing injury.

Police asked anyone with information about the case to call Detective John Silva at 707-778-4532.