A 53-year-old Helena man was shot multiple times in the leg during an altercation at a home in the Skelly Gulch area off of Austin Road Thursday night.

The man, whose name has not been released, was transported to St. Peter’s Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition Friday evening, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton said.

A 72-year-old man called 911 at 6:18 p.m. to report he had shot someone in his home, Dutton said.

The men were friends, Dutton said, adding that alcohol was a factor in the altercation, which may have involved multiple handguns. Dutton said self-defense has not been ruled out in the incident.

“All parties have been identified and we are working through the scene,” Dutton said. “We are trying to find out what provoked this.”

No charges have been filed. The shooting remains under investigation.

Reporter Angela Brandt: 447-4078 or angela.brandt@helenair.com