Mexia ISD officer killed during training exercise
By Tim Woods Tribune-Herald staff writer
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
A Mexia Independent School District police sergeant died
after he was accidentally shot during a training exercise on
Tuesday.
Sgt. Scott Neal, 31, was shot by a fellow officer as Mexia
ISD and Mexia police went through SWAT training exercises in
an abandoned fire department next to Mexia's city hall
shortly after noon, said Matt Cawthon, a Texas Ranger who
was among those that responded to the shooting.
"It was a critically tragic accident that occurred during a
training exercise," Cawthon said.
The Texas Ranger said that guns go through strict
inspections before being used in training exercises and said
that Tuesday's incident is difficult to understand.
"Team leaders, commanders and instructors are to check and
double check (weapons used in training exercises), but
somehow that one didn't get checked," Cawthon said. "There's
no sense in it. It's just tragic."
Cawthon said the name of the officer who shot Neal is being
withheld, but he did say that the tragedy was exacerbated by
the fact that the two men were "very close friends, if not
best friends."
A crisis intervention team from Waco was sent to counsel
officers that were involved with the training exercise, many
of whom were in severe shock, Cawthon said.
Mexia ISD school board president Don Corbitt said that Neal
had worked for the district's police force for at least two
or three years and said Neal was well-liked and respected by
students and faculty.
"He was an excellent guy," Corbitt said. "He was super with
the kids, just the kind of guy you'd want for that
position."
Cawthon said that Neal had a wife and a young child, and
said that accidents like Tuesday's are impossible to prepare
for.
"It's everybody's worst nightmare come true," he said.
Cawthon said that an investigation will be conducted and the
findings will be presented to the Limestone County district
attorney's office.
http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/11/23/20051123wacmexiaofficer.html
By Tim Woods Tribune-Herald staff writer
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
A Mexia Independent School District police sergeant died
after he was accidentally shot during a training exercise on
Tuesday.
Sgt. Scott Neal, 31, was shot by a fellow officer as Mexia
ISD and Mexia police went through SWAT training exercises in
an abandoned fire department next to Mexia's city hall
shortly after noon, said Matt Cawthon, a Texas Ranger who
was among those that responded to the shooting.
"It was a critically tragic accident that occurred during a
training exercise," Cawthon said.
The Texas Ranger said that guns go through strict
inspections before being used in training exercises and said
that Tuesday's incident is difficult to understand.
"Team leaders, commanders and instructors are to check and
double check (weapons used in training exercises), but
somehow that one didn't get checked," Cawthon said. "There's
no sense in it. It's just tragic."
Cawthon said the name of the officer who shot Neal is being
withheld, but he did say that the tragedy was exacerbated by
the fact that the two men were "very close friends, if not
best friends."
A crisis intervention team from Waco was sent to counsel
officers that were involved with the training exercise, many
of whom were in severe shock, Cawthon said.
Mexia ISD school board president Don Corbitt said that Neal
had worked for the district's police force for at least two
or three years and said Neal was well-liked and respected by
students and faculty.
"He was an excellent guy," Corbitt said. "He was super with
the kids, just the kind of guy you'd want for that
position."
Cawthon said that Neal had a wife and a young child, and
said that accidents like Tuesday's are impossible to prepare
for.
"It's everybody's worst nightmare come true," he said.
Cawthon said that an investigation will be conducted and the
findings will be presented to the Limestone County district
attorney's office.
http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/11/23/20051123wacmexiaofficer.html
