Michael Blevins was cleaning his pistol at his home in Deltona, Fla., on Thursday when he accidentally shot himself in the arm, police say. It took him only three days to realize. The 37-year-old says he was holding his gun to his chest, away from his dog, when his back gave out and he fell, hitting his face on the edge of a table, according to a police report. Blevins heard his gun fire but felt only pain from a cut above his eyebrow, reports the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
He might have noticed the blood coming from his arm had he removed his black, long-sleeve shirt soon after. Instead, he waited until Saturday to change into a light brown shirt that revealed he was bleeding—though barely, police say. He headed to a hospital where staff noticed an entrance and exit wound on his arm had cauterized, say deputies. Blevins later told police that medicine for a back injury likely helped mask the pain in his arm. (More Florida stories.)