Fort Stewart soldier Sgt. Christopher Helms is currently resting at home and doing well after accidentally shooting himself in the stomach while cleaning his gun on Monday.
On Tuesday morning, his wife, Amelia Helms, said he is back in Hinesville and recuperating after the accident.
“It was just a flesh wound through and through,” Helms said. “He’s doing fine.”
Helms said her husband shot himself at about 3 p.m. Monday in their home at 106 Welborn St., at the corner of Martin Luther King.
According to Helms’ mother, Daisy Combs, and a neighbor who refused to identify herself, Helms was seated inside the home, cleaning his weapon, when the weapon fired, sending a bullet straight through the man’s abdomen.
“He was inside the house cleaning his gun and he placed the weapon at his side. He did not notice there was a still a bullet in the gun. The gun went off and he came running outside looking for help,” the unidentified neighbor said.
Combs said Helms grabbed a towel, put it on the wound, and then came outside in search of assistance.
Helms received medical care Monday night at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah.

Original story:

The mother-in-law of a Fort Stewart soldier has confirmed that her son-in-law was rushed to a Savannah hospital after shooting himself in the abdomen late Monday afternoon.

Daisy Combs told the Courier that her son-in-law, 25-year-old Sgt. Christopher Helms, shot himself around 3 p.m., Monday, inside his home, located at 106 Welborn St., at the corner of Martin Luther King.

According to Combs and a neighbor, who refused to identify herself, Helms was seated inside the home, cleaning his weapon, when the weapon fired, sending a bullet straight through the man's abdomen.

"He was inside the house cleaning his gun and he placed the weapon at his side. He did not notice there was still a bullet in the gun. The gun went off and he came running outside, looking for help." the unidentified neighbor said.

Apparently, Helm's wife and mother-in-law were visiting with the neighbor at the time.

Combs said Helms grabbed a towel, put it on the wound, and then came outside.

At last word from Combs, Helms was taken to Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah where she said he was "talking, and doing well".