Cop's gun goes off at Peekskill swimming lesson, woman injured

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

I hope I did this right. I don't know how to post the link so I posted the whole article. Says the author and where it was from so I don't think I broke the law. Sorry if I did.

Cop's gun goes off at Peekskill swimming lesson, woman injured

By Michael Risinit

The Journal News • April 20, 2008

PEEKSKILL - An off-duty New York City police detective's gun accidentally went off yesterday inside Peekskill Middle School and the bullet shattered, with a tiny piece striking a woman by the pool.

Full Story Link: http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...382/1018/NEWS02

I guess the main question is why would he just leave his gun on a bench? Why wasn't it holstered? This situation could have been worse.

Edited April 21, 2008 by jack10562
Edited Quote Per Site Policy

[Guest BFD196]

I don't know what cops normally do with their guns while off duty, but a place with so many kids around has got to be one of the worse locations to not have it secured properly. Seems like the injury was minor, everyone is lucky.

[OnTheWheel 43]

Definitly not a "good thing".

Edited April 21, 2008 by OnTheWheel

[IzzyEng4 427]

Let alone that obviously the SAFTEY WAS NOT ON!!!!!!

[Guest]

Let alone that obviously the SAFTEY WAS NOT ON!!!!!!

If it was a Glock, then it doesn't (I think) have an external safety.

[DaRock98 76]

Does that swimming facility have lockers for personal belongings while people are swimming in the pool? If so why wasn't the gun locked in the locker while he was in the pool? If it doesn't have lockers why wouldn't he leave the gun either in the car or at home if he was planning to swim? I think everyone involved are VERY lucky this didn't turn deadly.

[STAT213 332]

If it was a Glock, then it for sure doesn't have an external safety. But, for a gun to discharge after being dropped, it also can't be a Glock that is functioning properly. It is just not possible for a Glock to discharge after hitting something. Be interesting to have all the facts with this one.

[OnTheWheel 43]

If it was a Glock, then it doesn't (I think) have an external safety.

Like stated above there is no external safety, there is a built in safety to prevent accidental discharge when dropped, probably some older and/or cheaper model gun.

Does that swimming facility have lockers for personal belongings while people are swimming in the pool? If so why wasn't the gun locked in the locker while he was in the pool? If it doesn't have lockers why wouldn't he leave the gun either in the car or at home if he was planning to swim? I think everyone involved are VERY lucky this didn't turn deadly.

Its definitly not a good idea to secure your gun in your car, too many things can go wrong. I go swimming with my daughter and manage to leave mine secured somewhere elsewhere. I wouldnt even trust a locker in a gym, too many people breaking into them. Im thinking this guy will be rubber gunned for a while and possibly be asking "do you want friies with that" shortly thereafter.

[DaRock98 76]

Its definitly not a good idea to secure your gun in your car, too many things can go wrong. I go swimming with my daughter and manage to leave mine secured somewhere elsewhere. I wouldnt even trust a locker in a gym, too many people breaking into them. Im thinking this guy will be rubber gunned for a while and possibly be asking "do you want friies with that" shortly thereafter.

Yea you are right about the locker and car now that I think about it, but I'm sure just like you said there are better places to secure your gun so that stuff like this doesn't happen. I hope that everybody learns a lesson from this and thinks a little more before placing a gun on a bench in public with lots of children around. Not that it would make it any better but if people can learn from this mistake we can chalk it up as a learning experience and pray that it doesn't happen again.

[khas143 13]

I think this had to have been a cheap off duty gun since it went off after simply being dropped on the ground. I think this guy will get some days on the beach but will return to duty. On a side note, there are only a couple hundred first grade detectives in the city. Not that it is an excuse but this guy had to have some serious collars under his belt. (For those of you who don't know, 1st Grade Detective in the NYPD make LT's pay.... with none of the BS that comes with it). Guess we will have to wait and see how this turns out.

[64FFMJK 21]

Like stated above there is no external safety, there is a built in safety to prevent accidental discharge when dropped, probably some older and/or cheaper model gun.

Its definitly not a good idea to secure your gun in your car, too many things can go wrong. I go swimming with my daughter and manage to leave mine secured somewhere elsewhere. I wouldnt even trust a locker in a gym, too many people breaking into them. Im thinking this guy will be rubber gunned for a while and possibly be asking "do you want friies with that" shortly thereafter.

I agree full. Then again there is always "welcome to Wal Mart" as well. Depending o his time on the job they may simply force him to retire if he has his time in.

[Guest paramedico987]

This is precisely why one is not supposed to keep a round in the chamber.

I understand why so many LEOs DO keep one locked, but this is why everybody's told not to.

[helicopper 1,050]

This is precisely why one is not supposed to keep a round in the chamber.

I understand why so many LEOs DO keep one locked, but this is why everybody's told not to.

"One" as in civilian, perhaps.

Every police officer keeps a round chambered. It's only on TV that you rack the slide to chamber a round as you start chasing a bad guy!

[INIT915 1,119]

This is precisely why one is not supposed to keep a round in the chamber.

I understand why so many LEOs DO keep one locked, but this is why everybody's told not to.

Who told "everybody" this?

[Guest alsfirefighter]

This case is nothing more then a terrible accident and I for one hope the officer doesn't have a ton of bricks come down on him.

I'm trying to figure out who this is telling the "one" about not having a round chambered, although I think its a reference of not having a round loaded if the weapon is not on your person. I for one do not carry if I can't keep it on my person or have the means to secure it properly if I can't. Which is extremely limited. I've handled firearms for the majority of my adult life and if its on me, its loaded. If some crap goes down, your fine and complex motor control goes out the window and you might just not remember that its not loaded or you won't be able to get the slide back properly.

[210 91]

There should always be a round in the chamber when the weapon is being carried by a LEO.

Edited April 30, 2008 by 210

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

The only time I don't have a chambered round is when I am cleaning my gun.

[jayhalsey 6]

So he just left his gun, loaded, on a bench with his clothes while he went swimming? With children running around, no less?

[Guest 40-32 Comms]

If you read the story carefully, it appears that he left his stuff on the bench with his wife watching it, and dropped the gun when he went to pick it up.

QUOTE(The Journal News- http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...82/1018/NEWS02)

..."We were very, very fortunate," said Kear, who said the man's wife sits with his belongings while he is in the pool. "It was a very unfortunate accident."...

Edited May 1, 2008 by 40-32 Comms

[20y2 43]

This is precisely why one is not supposed to keep a round in the chamber.

I understand why so many LEOs DO keep one locked, but this is why everybody's told not to.

Perhaps the worst advice I have ever, EVER heard.

[OnTheWheel 43]

If you dont have one chambered GOOD LUCK! What do you do with a revolver? Keep one in your pocket?

Edited May 1, 2008 by OnTheWheel

[ny10570 745]

If you dont have one chambered GOOD LUCK! What do you do with a revolver? Keep one in your pocket?

nice reference