"Accidental Discharge" in area school

[MikeIsaj]

Repeat after me; I will never use my service weapon as a training aid! I will never .....

 

[Tory]

Explain that again!

"When a student walked up to the officer to see if the gun could be pulled from the holster, the student’s finger slipped into a slight opening in the holster and just behind the trigger. The bullet shot into the classroom floor."

I'll bite - just how DOES one fire a gun by putting a finger behind the trigger?

 

[ny32182]

They must mean that the opening in the holster was behind the trigger. Student reached her finger through that opening and down, in front of the trigger. That would be my guess.

The Clemson PD and everyone else in this area carries Glock 22s afaik. I don't know which ND the article is referring to... I've heard a rumor that a cop somehow fired a round into the ground in TD's (a downtown bar) but there is no real way to confirm that.

 

[EVIL5LITER]

"When a student walked up to the officer to see if the gun could be pulled from the holster, the student’s finger slipped into a slight opening in the holster and just behind the trigger. The bullet shot into the classroom floor."

I'll bite - just how DOES one fire a gun by putting a finger behind the trigger?

It must be that horrible design you keep talking about.

Just for grins, I wonder how many guns have had an ND when the safety was supposed to be on, or was on?

A safety on a loaded gun does not make it safe.

 

[centac]

"Just for grins, I wonder how many guns have had an ND when the safety was supposed to be on, or was on? "

Probably as many as occur with guns that were supposedly "unloaded."


"I swear, it just went off!"

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

I admit to not knowing how the current retention holsters work (they didn't have them "back in the days"..), but I've often wondered if pushing down hard on a holstered weapon could engage the trigger against the notch that holds the weapon in. Any one know?

 

[centac]

No, in any non-defective holsters I have seen there is nothing that would engage the trigger.

Every single instance, and I mean all of them, I have been aware of in which a gun alledgedly went off in the holster later turned out to be not exactly, precisely with the gun in the rig and secured. Somebody was playing quick-draw, or holstered with their finger on the trigger, or something along those lines. Modern holsters invariably cover the trigger guard in such a way as to make it impossible to hit the switch.

I doubt we will ever hear the rest of the story, so to speak

 

[tyme]

Tory, like Jeff White said, that's just another stage in the cover-up. They have to fill in the details of a fictitious scenario, and so they try to make the situation look like nobody's fault, even to the point where the gun could not discharge in the picture they paint.

Given the original "story" regarding "Mumia", the DEA agent who was professional enough to carry a "glock 40"...
My baseless opinion is that the kid wanted to see the gun and either the kid was allowed to take the gun out of the holster enough to get a finger on the trigger, or the officer himself removed the gun improperly and had a ND in the process.

 

[duck_god827]

Something here does not seem right. Why would a trained officer let a child try and take his issiued wepon from him. There was a misguided attempt to educate these children. Hopefully this incident has refreshed all of us on gun safety. It is always an on going learning process. This is not meant to bash anyone involed but to remind everyone that gun safety is the most imporant thing we can teach our up and coming genertions about guns and gun saftey.

 

[Sportcat]

Update

http://www.thecarolinachannel.com/news/4492535/detail.html

Family Disputes Story Of Gunshot At Lakeside Middle School
Student Hit In Chest By Bullet Fragment

POSTED: 9:39 am EDT May 16, 2005
UPDATED: 10:27 am EDT May 16, 2005

ANDERSON -- The family of a middle school student injured when a deputy's gun fired at Lakeside Middle School last week said the information released about the incident isn't correct.

Diane and David Pressley issued a statement through their attorney Sunday. In the statement, the Pressleys said school resource officer Robert Miller had been asked by a student to do a quick draw. After pulling the gun partway out of the holster twice, the Pressleys said a student asked to pull the gun out of the holster.

As the student reached to try and pull the gun out of the holster, the gun fired and the bullet blew a hole in the floor, they said.

The Pressley's story differs somewhat from the sheriff office's version of events. Chief Deputy Tim Busha said last week that it all started when students asked Miller how his holster worked.

Busha said during the demonstration, Miller was trying to explain to the students that the holsters are so secure that no one could take an officer's gun.

At that point, Miller told a student to try and take the gun out, said Busha. The student tried and the gun went off.

The Pressleys said some of the fragments hit their son in the chest with sufficient force to knock him out of his seat. X-rays did not show any penetration of the fragments, but he was diagnosed with a contusion to the chest.

"This was a major lapse in judgment and there needs to be some consequences. But also, there needs to be an accurate reporting of the truth," David Pressley said in the statement.

Diane Pressley said her son has had difficulty sleeping since the incident.

Miller has been on administrative leave since the incident, which is still under investigation.

 

[EVIL5LITER]

The Pressleys said some of the fragments hit their son in the chest with sufficient force to knock him out of his seat. X-rays did not show any penetration of the fragments, but he was diagnosed with a contusion to the chest.

What low down ambulance chaser came up with this part of the story?

 

[duckslayer]

Diane Pressley said her son has had difficulty sleeping since the incident.

But I'm sure they believe that a wad of $$ would help his sleeping disorder immensely!!!

 

[The Rabbi]

I agree with Master Blaster, the kid should have never been allowed to touch the gun. just yesterday as i was working my post as a armed guard a young boy ( 8 or 9 ) came up to me and asked if i had a gun, which is usally covered by my right arm. I said " why yes i do " and he then asked to see it. I moved my right arm a little so he could see the gun, his mom and dad thought it was neat to see there son and someone in uniform talking,and that someone took an interest in there sons questions. As he saw the gun he went " Cool". then he asked other questions and i answered them, mom and dad happy at this point. then the younster asked if he could touch my gun ( in the holster ) at that point i said "no, you may not." in a nice way with out hurting the young boys feeling. the Mom and Dad at that point came un-glued, they said i was been mean to not let him touch the gun,"what was he going to do take it out and shoot someone". and they left the store quickly ( mad at me ) can you believe that? I'm sorry but I'm not going to let a kid or anyone else touch my weapon, that is not safe.

Once a long time ago I was watching some movie or show with an FBI agent in exactly the situation you describe. The little boy wanted to hold the gun and the agent said (kindly) I could never forgive myself if anything bad happened so you cant hold it. Sounded like a decent response to me. If the kid's parents have a problem with that then eff em.

And yes, I smell lawyer entering the picture. Let's see how the story changes as the lawyer gets involved.

 

[Mikey Glockster]

Glocks are plenty safe. This officer was not! :banghead:

 

[artherd]

In the statement, the Pressleys said school resource officer Robert Miller had been asked by a student to do a quick draw. After pulling the gun partway out of the holster twice, the Pressleys said a student asked to pull the gun out of the holster.

DING DING DING!!!

We have a winner!

No glock that somehow stored enough energy to detonate a primer, and had all 3 safeties fail, by magic.

Likely even no tripple-retention safety holster that allowed a totally holstered weapon to be fired by leaving the triggerguard uncovered.

No, what we have here is an idoit with their finger on the trigger. And THAT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IS HOW YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT!

 

[BluesBear]

what we have here is an idiot with their finger on the trigger.

That pretty much sums it all up.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Hopefully they will take this mistake and turn it into a positive learning experience for all involved.

But, alas, I fear that all will happen is a massive amount of monies will change hands and senseless hysteria will prevail.