THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 1996 TAG: 9608070413
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: NEWPORT NEWS DAILY PRESS
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG LENGTH: 30 lines
A 39-year-old man was shot in the back while standing in the wave pool at Water Country USA Tuesday.
Although York County police do not believe the shot was fired from inside the park and the victim was not seriously injured, the news casts a shadow on preparations for post-Olympic celebrations Thursday and Friday.
The victim told police that he was standing in the wave pool around 11 a.m. when he felt something strike his back, said police spokesman Capt. Ron Montgomery.
The victim did not realize he had been wounded until a park employee noticed blood running down his back. The man was taken to the park clinic and then to a medical facility, Montgomery said.
``They knew this was something more serious, but they still didn't realize it was a gunshot,'' he said.
Only when an X-ray was taken did anyone realize that the man had a bullet lodged in his right shoulder. He was transferred to Williamsburg Community Hospital, treated and released, park spokeswoman Cindy Sarko said.
Police did not release the man's name. ``He was very, very fortunate,'' Middlebrook said.
KEYWORDS: SHOOTING WATER COUNTRY USA by CNB