There is nothing in the article about anyone using alcohol.
It's this writer's lame attempt to imply that the Lake's consumed alcohol concurrent w/using firearms. The writer used “shots” in the sense of “gunshots” trying to be cute; knowing that some people would misinterpret the statement to mean “shots” of alcoholic beverages.
Of course, the writer will have plausible deniability if challenged for their use of the deux entendre.
“There is nothing in the article about anyone using alcohol.”
I think backpacker was making a joke/pun: “shots”.
I was thinking COVID shots.