Awakened by noise, deputy shoots himself in the leg

A noise awakened an off-duty Pinellas sheriff's deputy Friday evening and he reached for his gun, accidentally shooting himself in the leg.

Deputy Jonathan Lopes' three children were home at the time, but no one else was injured, sheriff's spokeswoman Cecilia Barreda said.

Lopes, 49, an 11-year veteran, was in good condition Saturday at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa and could not be reached for comment.

The shooting occurred about 7 p.m. Friday when Lopes was awakened by a sudden noise and grabbed his personal 9mm handgun, which fired a round into his left leg, Barreda said. Investigators had not determined the source of the noise.

Barreda said she didn't know whether Lopes had ever been involved in a shooting before.