Store manager accidentally shoots self in leg

An assistant manager at a local grocery store accidentally shot himself in the leg Tuesday night in the office of the store.

According to police, Christopher Bailey, 22, was showing a newly purchased gun to his wife at a Save-A-Lot store at about 7:15 p.m. when his gun discharged into his upper left thigh. Bailey was taken to OSF St. Mary Medical Center for treatment of a broken femur. He was listed in stable condition this morning.

Bailey legally purchased the gun in Geneseo recently and told police he did not know a round of ammunition was in the chamber.

Bailey, who had served as an auxiliary police officer with the Galesburg Police Department, was being hired by the Galva Police Department. Calls to the Galva Police Department were not immediately returned.

Local management at Save-A-Lot would not comment on the shooting and referred questions to the corporate office. Gerry Kettler, director of consumer affairs for Niemann Foods, which owns Save-A-Lot, said his company is fully cooperating with the investigation.

'No customers were involved, that is the main thing,' Kettler said. 'It was an accidental shooting -- not a violent shooting -- and it is certainly not the company's policy to have weapons in the store.'

Kettler said an internal investigation is on-going and would not comment on possible disciplinary action against Bailey.

Police said the customers were in the grocery store at the time of the incident. The incident occurred in an office of the store and no one else was injured.

The grocery store was open Wednesday for regular business.

The incident remains under investigation.