Police: Dunbar man accidentally shot himself in 2015, said it was a drive-by shooting
A Dunbar man who reported he was shot in a drive-by shooting in Dunbar Township in 2015 actually shot himself accidentally with a stolen gun, according to state police.
Aaron Dale Buzzelli, 24, of Ranch Road was flown from the scene by medical helicopter with a gunshot wound to his abdomen at about 4 a.m. June 7, 2015. He was 22 at the time.
The shot fractured Buzzelli’s finger before entering his abdomen and wounding his liver, police said.
State police said he reported on the scene that an unknown person shot him on Clair Street near Memorial Boulevard. Police interviewed a juvenile witness, who initially said a black sport-utility vehicle pulled up and fired one shot, hitting Buzzelli. Police believed he was lying, and the juvenile later changed his story, according to court documents.
The juvenile said that the night before, Buzzelli stole the gun from a vehicle. He said they were standing on the street corner waiting to buy marijuana when Buzzelli pulled the gun from his pants and played with it, “flashing it around” and “showing it off.” He said Buzzelli was playing with the hammer when it went off, and the man fell to the ground. The juvenile told police he hid the gun near the scene and knocked on a door, telling those inside to call 911, court paperwork indicates.
State police then interviewed Buzzelli at the hospital, where he initially “stuck to his story,” then said “it must have been one of his friends with him,” and eventually said he accidentally shot himself, police wrote in court paperwork.
The juvenile took police to the hidden gun, which was identified as a .38 Special double barrel pistol with an obliterated serial number. The serial number was partially restored after lab work returned to investigators Aug. 26, 2016.
Buzzelli is charged with possession of a firearm with altered manufacturer’s number, firearms not to be carried without a license, corruption of minors, recklessly endangering another person and false reports.
He was arraigned at 11 a.m. Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Richard Kasunic and released on a $25,000 unsecured bond.
His preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. June 28 before Magisterial District Judge Wendy Dennis.