A former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student shot himself in the head this morning while visiting a campus police officer, according to UTC officials.

Chuck Cantrell, UTC assistant vice chancellor, said the man was visiting at the residence of an off-duty police officer at the Bowling Apartments on Vine Street and during a discussion asked to see one of the officer’s guns. Chattanooga Police identified the officer as Chase Kilgore.

“It was not the officer’s service revolver,” Mr. Cantrell said. “It was a gun he had been given as a gift.”

Mr. Cantrell said the officer removed the bullets from the gun and handed the gun to the visitor.

He said at some point the officer went into the kitchen and while he was there the man put a bullet in the gun and shot himself in the head around 2:25 a.m.

The victim was taken to Erlanger hospital in critical condition. He is currently in the trauma intensive care unit.

The Chattanooga Police Department is assisting UTC Police in the investigation.

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