Investigators: Man Shooting At Targets Hits Pittsburg County Driver In Head

A McAlester man was shot in the head as he drove down a county road Monday afternoon.

Investigators said the 72-year-old man didn’t know what happened to him - only that he was bleeding and needed help.

Investigators said they don't believe the driver was targeted, but that he was a victim of careless target practice.

“This is the first time I've seen of anything like this in 10 years,” said Pittsburg County Investigator, Jeremy James.

It's a case of driving in the wrong place at the wrong time, and, according to James, an accident that could have been easily prevented.

“You hear stories of stray bullets and stuff hitting people and stuff like that, but to actually see it firsthand, it was definitely scary,” he said.

James said a stray bullet hit 72-year-old Marion Fassino as he drove a rural road east of McAlester Monday.

2/9/2016 Related Story: Elderly Pittsburg County Man Accidentally Shot In Head, Deputies Say

Fassino took one bullet to the head but was still able to call 911 for help, unsure of what had just happened.

“Said he was driving down the road and he'd heard a pop and he was bleeding,” James said.

The bullet hole on the driver's side window made it obvious - he'd been shot. But why? And by whom?

James said, “Some other deputies had seen some guys up the road walking around a house. They go to the residence and talk to an individual up there that admitted to shooting toward the road.”

Investigators said the shooter was only about 100 yards from the road when he fired the shot from his .22-caliber gun.

The shooter was aiming for a target hanging on a tree, but missed, and hit Fassino.

“Go pay a membership at a gun range and go shoot if that's what you want to do,” James said. “We understand you live in a rural area, but use caution.”

Investigators said knowing what is on the other side of the target can be a matter of life and death.

“Don't ever shoot toward a road, regardless if you've shot 1,000 times or not. That's just not safe,” said James.

Fortunately, in this case, the victim is expected to survive.

The Pittsburg County Sheriff's Office is working with the district attorney to determine what, if any, charges could be filed. One possibility is reckless discharge of a firearm.