Two Secret Service officers injured at White House

[fedlaw]

http://today.reuters.com/news/artic...C_0_US-WHITEHOUSE-INCIDENT.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two Secret Service officers were injured on Tuesday after a gun held by another Secret Service officer accidentally fired inside the White House gate, according to a spokesman, Darrin Blackford.

Their injuries are non-life threatening, the spokesman said.

One officer suffered a shrapnel wound to the face, and the other was wounded in the leg.

They were taken to George Washington Hospital.

At the time, President George W. Bush was on a trip to Blacksburg, Virginia, to attend a ceremony at Virginia Tech university following Monday's shooting rampage.

"It appears that at approximately 2:10 p.m. (1810 GMT) there was an accidental discharge of a service issued weapon, which occurred inside the Southwest Gate at a security post near the White House," Blackford said.

Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, Lafayette Park across the street from the White House and other nearby walkways were all shut down to pedestrian traffic due to the incident. Many police vehicles were in the area.

© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved.

Good thing it's a secret service.

 

[azredhawk44]

Glock fotay, anyone?

 

[feedthehogs]

I doubt it. The SS are part of the SIG family.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Must . . . resist . . .

. . . urge to say . . . "professional enough" . . .

. . . must resist . . .

 

[TacMedic4450]

This brings to mind the video of the DEA (or ATF?) agent shooting himself in a gun safety class. As a FF/Paramedic I see this on a daily basis (albeit not firearms) you do something long enough and you start to get complacent and more and more casual about stuff. I imagine that a year ago had the agent done what ever he was doing with his pistol his trigger finger would have been outside the trigger guard, 6 months ago it was probably resting on the trigger, now he got more and more comfortable with his sidearm and he willfully discharged it. (There are no accidental discharge's just unintentional ones)

 

[cmidkiff]

A modern firearm 'just went off' while securely nestled in it's holster?

Somehow, I don't think so. I'd bet good money that the agent was messing with it, and I'm _not_ the betting type.

Accidental discharges do happen... but not like this, and not _nearly_ as often as the media would have us believe. I don't know if this one qualifies, but I doubt it!

 

[GTSteve03]

Accidental discharges only happen when you work for the government.

 

[paramedic70002]

Hey TacMedic4450, (I got family in Austin!):

As a Paramedic, I can say I've never accidentally defibrillated myself, but last year a MORON EMT was playing around and defibbed his FTO, killing her. I used to work with a medic that juiced himself more than once when his polyester tie touched the patient's chest during shocks.

And I have been the recipient of a dirty needle stick because someone thought a crowded counter top would be a good place to throw a used sharps.

Complacency is a bear. Ever gone to give a med that someone else handed to you, but then checked it only to find out it's not what you asked for?

 

[Thain]

Because other people made the Glock Fohtay joke...

But handguns are illegal in Washington D.C.!

 

[obxned]

Well, the next president will probably require gun locks, and a good gun lock would have prevented this incident.

 

[LubeckTech]

About 2 years age here in Wood Co. WV the drug task force leader shot himself in the thigh while "clearing" his gun. The bullet went through his femur cutting it in two. They pinned it together and he was back to work within a few months. I'm not sure how he was holding it but it had something to do with a pickup truck. Also not sure what kind of gun very likley a S&W 4006 which those guys are known to carry. The only thing I could figure is he was sitting on the tailgate and racking the slide with his hand over the top of the slide, muzzle pointed downward and slipped it is also possible he dropped it but came up with a bogus story. The moral is always keep the muzzle in a safe direction. He still occupies his position but is only allowed one bullet which he must keep in his pocket

 

[usp_fan]

I'm willing to bet it was one of the uniformed Secret Service officers that carry long arms. I've seen MP5's, M4's, and some others carried in the park and around the W house from time to time.

--usp_fan

 

[buzz_knox]

I'm willing to bet it was one of the uniformed Secret Service officers that carry long arms. I've seen MP5's, M4's, and some others carried in the park and around the W house from time to time.

It could also have been a P90. I'm wondering if someone got in a bad habit of fingering that rotary safety.

 

[RobMoore]

I'm willing to bet it was one of the uniformed Secret Service officers that carry long arms. I've seen MP5's, M4's, and some others carried in the park and around the W house from time to time.

Good odds, since the procedure for returning the MP5 back to "in the box" condition requires sending the bolt forward and pulling the trigger. The mistake comes from doing this AFTER putting the magazine in instead of before.