Hicksville man shot by friend arrested on weapon charges, police say

A man injured when he was accidentally shot by a friend last month inside his home in Hicksville was arrested Monday morning — after police said an investigation determined the gun had not been legally purchased by the victim.

Nassau County police said Michael Schmeltzer, 25, of Halsey Avenue surrendered to Second Squad detectives at 7:35 a.m. in Woodbury and was charged with criminal possession of a firearm and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He faces arraignment Monday in First District Court in Hempstead.

Police said Schmeltzer was shot in the lower left leg during an incident at his home on Jan. 22, when a friend picked up a shotgun from Schmeltzer’s bed and, believing it was a BB gun, accidentally fired it. Schmeltzer was transported to a hospital, where he was treated for the wound, police said.

However, police said a subsequent investigation determined the shotgun had not been legally purchased.

It was not immediately clear whether Schmeltzer was represented by counsel. The friend who fired the weapon was not charged.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”