PORT ELIZABETH - TEEN SHOOTS HIMSELF WHILE TRYING TO 'CAPTURE THE PERFECT' SELFIE

A Port Elizabeth teenager is lucky to be alive after he shot himself in the chest last Saturday while trying to take a selfie.

Netwerk24 reported that Grade 11 pupil Luke Claassen was at home with his parents when the incident happened. His mother, Lindy, was on the couch on her phone while his father, Deon, had fallen asleep in front of the TV.  19-year-old Luke was in his parent's room listening to music and smoking a hubbly bubbly pipe. He managed to access a safe where his father kept his pistol, after discovering the key, which was hidden away.

According to TimesLive Luke was trying to capture the perfect selfie, while holding the weapon and smoking the hubbly bubbly, when the gun went off.

Deon Claassen told Netwerk that he always left a bullet in the chamber of his gun in case of emergencies.

"The bullet went through his left lung before exiting. Luckily it missed all his important organs," Claasen told the publication.

Luke was rushed to hospital where it was revealed that he had lost 4cm of his lung capacity due to the shooting. He also broke two ribs. Doctors are monitoring his lung capacity before deciding when he can be discharged.

Police spokesperson Col Priscilla Naidu told TimesLive that a case of discharging a firearm in a municipal area is being investigated.

via - NEWS24