South Bend woman accidentally shot herself on Indiana Toll Road, police say

PORTER COUNTY, Ind.—A South Bend woman accidentally shot herself in a car on the Toll Road while sitting next to a one-year-old child, according to Indiana State Police.

On September 29, around 2 a.m., a trooper stopped to check on a disabled vehicle with four occupants at the 31 mile marker, near the Chesterton/ Valparaiso exit, on the Toll Road.

The vehicle had a flat tire and while the tow operator was preparing to tow it, a gunshot was heard from inside of the car, police said.

A 20-year-old female passenger from South Bend was bleeding from her leg.

Police learned that the woman had accidentally shot herself in the left leg.

The trooper applied a tourniquet to the woman’s leg and administered first aid.

Later, police learned that the woman was trying to place the gun in a bag and it went off while she was sitting next to a one-year-old child, according to state police.

The child was not injured, police said.

The woman was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive the incident, police said.

According to police, the gun belonged to one of the other passengers in the vehicle.

Police did not say if any charges were filed in relation to the incident.