Connecticut State Police detectives are investigating the accidental shooting of a 66-year-old Massachusetts man yesterday afternoon at the craft tent at the Woodstock Fairgrounds.

State police said the bullet had come from across the street from the fairgrounds, where the Putnam Police Department had been conducting firearms training at the Putnam Fish and Game Club, 110 Stonebridge Road.



Police said the bullet struck the man in the head.



The unidentified victim, a resident of nearby Holland, was taken to Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam where the bullet was removed. The injury was not life-threatening, according to state police Lt. J. Paul Vance.



The man was listed in stable condition this morning.



State police detectives collected physical and forensic evidence and tracked the trajectory path of the bullet a distance of a quarter-mile. All police weapons being used at the time were taken for comparison with the bullet taken from the victim.



Lt. Vance said there was no criminal aspect to the case and the investigation was continuing.



In an interview today, Joseph Johnson, head of fair security, said that 1:30 p.m. yesterday one of the fair security guards called for an ambulance near the north gate saying somebody had been injured.



Mr. Johnson said he went to the scene and, while it was obvious that the man had been injured, he was “lucid, coherent, and walking around.”



Putnam Police Chief Rick Hayes said today the department is cooperating with the state police investigation.



“We're doing everything we can,” Chief Hayes said, adding that as yet there was no confirmation on where the bullet came from.



“We've surrendered seven guns for ballistic testing and we're waiting for a match,” he said.



The police chief said he was reviewing the design of the firing range.



That firing range is closed for the time being and a club member who declined to identify himself said the board of directors of the Putnam Fish and Game Club would be meeting tonight to review the matter. He said the firing range historically has closed during the fair.



Chief Hayes said department personnel were at the range yesterday for firearms qualification.



Putnam police were using .45-caliber handguns, Lt. Vance said.



Don Farias, Woodstock Fair general manager, said he had no comment on the shooting.



Correspondent Sarah Hamby contributed to this report.