Boston Police are investigating how an officer's gun fired yesterday afternoon at the intersection of Centre Street and Seaverns Avenue, but say initial evidence points to a simple accident.
Police declined to specify the nature of that accident, but said the officer remains on the job and is not facing disciplinary action.
Neighborhoods:
Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!
Ad:
Comments
accident?
By anon
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 6:19pm
Or negligence. A very importance distinction with discharge of a firearm.
There's no such thing as an
By anon
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 7:38am
There's no such thing as an accidental discharge of a firearm.
semantics.....
By Pete Nice
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 9:40am
When people use the word "accident" they aren't using it to replace the concept of recklessness or negligence. They are using it in contrast to the act of doing something on purpose. Like if the officer was shooting at someone who had fired at the officer first, and the officer missed and hit another object, that wouldn't be an "accident" either would it?
If he thought the gun was unloaded and was cleaning the trigger and it went off, would that be an accident?
Is there such thing as an "accident"?
I think many people use the word meaning someone could have an accident and be negligent/reckless at the same time.
out of curiosity
By Scumquistador
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 6:50pm
if i had a (legal) gun and accidentally discharged it there what would happen to me?
Depends on he circumstances, no?
By Waquiot
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 7:46pm
Back in the 1970s, by father-in-law was cleaning his rifle in the house. He thought it wasn't loaded, but it was. Bullet discharged, went through either a wall or floor (I wasn't there, so my recollection is hazy) and hit his son. The wound wasn't bad. No charges, so he continued to be the town pediatrician without any problems.
well
By Scumquistador
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 7:50pm
i did specify "there" meaning, out around the town, on a sidewalk/in the street. if i had done exactly what the officer had done. i wonder if the police routinely refer to discharged firearms as 'simple accidents' when they happen from regular people going about their business.
hey, maybe they do. though i'm not sure that makes me feel any better, really.
In all fairness
By anon
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 9:41pm
it could have been something stupid, like it got caught on something getting in and out of the car.
On the street is another issue
By Waquiot
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 10:34pm
I myself am scratching my head about how a gun "accidentally discharged." I suppose if the pistol was holstered and it fell out while the cop was walking, I am not versed enough about whether the safety would help in a case like that.
But hey, that's what internal affairs is for.
Almost 100% of modern
By DPM
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 8:50am
Almost 100% of modern firearms are drop safe. Trying to catch them tho? That is a bad call.
Holstered guns do not just fall out, particularly in retention holsters used by police forces.
Any gun sold to the public in
By Ryan
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 11:56am
Any gun sold to the public in MA has to pass a drop test. The police, however, are exempt from this requirement... they can buy unapproved guns. Not that it matters, almost all guns are drop proof anyways, it's really just a way of restricting the supply of lawful firearms. It would be pretty hilarious if this case actually provided evidence that it serves a legit purpose.
We can buy unapproved guns as
By DPM
Thu, 05/05/2016 - 8:31am
We can buy unapproved guns as well. Just need to know how.
In any other first world
By Kinopio
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 10:18am
In any other first world country there would be repercussions for shooting someone. Of course in other first world countries they are smart enough to not carry deadly weapons around everywhere so stuff like that rarely happens.
The cop should be charged with illegal discharge of a firearm. This happened at the busiest area of JP and its fortunate no one was shot.
Two Things
By anon
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 2:02pm
1. The cop isn't accused of "shooting someone," and I don't see how you reached that inference based on any of the reports, which are all very clear that no one was injured.
2. There are more handguns in circulation in the US than there are people in any of the "first world countries" where police don't carry guns. I think it would be just swell if fewer criminals had access to them, but until you figure out a way to achieve that I'll remain comfortable with police being armed, too.
You would be charged with
By SMASH
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 7:58pm
You would be charged with discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building. You would have your license to carry a firearm suspended by the licensing authority. They would then seize all of your lawfully owned firearms, and place them in storage at your cost. You would have aright to challenge that suspension in court in 90 days, assuming you can resolve the criminal matter in time. Otherwise you have lost your right to a firearm until your license expires, give or take, depending on some other potential legal actions that your $250 an hour attorney can wrangle for you.
They also seize and destroy all of your ammunition.
By Boston_res
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 6:30am
.
No you wouldn't.
By Pete Nice
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 9:43am
Show me the last time someone in Boston (and it does happen), was charged when they can clearly show their intent wasn't seriously negligent or reckless.
At least two cases I know of
By SMASH
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 7:32pm
At least two cases I know of out of BMC Gun Court
What are they?
By Pete Nice
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 10:03pm
They are public record, I'm not really a gun guy but can at least get the reports and see the specific circumstances/charges. Do you know the names?
It also depends on what you use/need the gun for.
By Pete Nice
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 9:54am
If you use it for work (Security, law enforcement) courts and licensing agencies often take that into consideration. If the reason for an LTC on your application is simply a reference to your 2nd amendment right, they might revoke it.
It would be suspended either way, and remember, police officers aren't required to have LTC's and have different licensing requirements.
This is bullshit. There are
By anon
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 7:24pm
This is bullshit. There are no accidents only negligence.
If an everyday citizen had a negligent discharge in public their license would be gone for life and they'd be facing significant criminal charges.
One set of rules for police and another for the public.
Accidents happen all the time
By Waquiot
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 10:32pm
Trust me, I was pissed the last time my son peed on me, but I wouldn't call it negligence.
What happened in this case, maybe an honest accident, maybe gross negligence, but much like yourself, I wasn't around to witness it.
Cop != 3 year old
By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 11:03pm
Gun != pee pee
There is quite a lot here that seems off, if you know anything about guns. Enough so that "honest accident" is one of the less likely explanations. Still possible, but unlikely. Equipment failure or negligence are more likely (such as a faulty safety and improper holstering together or fiddling around with the gun with the safety off).
Oh, it's not even about the gun thing for me
By Waquiot
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 11:24pm
This is the second time an anon, probably this anon, said there's no such things as accidents. While I will concede that the word can be overused, accidents do happen. Perhaps it's the parent side of me, but I can accept that sometimes things happen that shouldn't but aren't necessarily someone's fault.
AD vs. ND
By anon
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 8:36am
It's a distinction that's drilled into the brains of gun owners who take the necessary steps to follow the law and be responsible. Can you blame them? A civvy negligently discharging a firearm would have their LTC suspended in a flash. The fact that BPD is calling this an "accident" means there would need to be a mechanical malfunction in the firearm causing it to just go off. Modern firearms are equipped with all kinds of safety features that prevent this from happening.
It may sound pedantic, but there is a difference. If the gun didn't just "go off" on its own, there was a negligent discharge. He pulled the trigger. There are only four rules of firearms safety, so breaking one would make it entirely the officer's fault.
By the way, I am not the anon above. But there's dozens of us!
A holstered gun cannot just
By DPM
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 8:46am
A holstered gun cannot just 'go off'. He had to have been handling the firearm for it to have discharged. Why was he handling a firearm in such a manner in a store?
No, negligence is the cause here. I saw this as a person with a LTC and a firearm on my hip.
BPD issue sidearm is the
By me109g4
Sat, 05/07/2016 - 7:55pm
BPD issue sidearm is the Glock, no safety, only a trigger block which is disabled by placing your index finger on the trigger and exerting pressure,,,
Despite the misnomer of "gun
By anon
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 7:14am
Despite the misnomer of "gun violence" a firearm in an inanimate object without free will which doesn't do a thing unless interacted with by a person. Someone has to be violent or negligent in the handling or storage of a firearm for it to fire.
Short of a mechanical malfunction or a ricochet off a known target, both which require a person's interaction with the firearm to initiate, there are no accidents.
Ultimately people are responsible. Displaced blame is unacceptable.
Will the outcome of this set a precedent for all gun owners?
By Boston_res
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 6:35am
It is going to be grossly unfair if this law enforcement official doesn't get punished, but your future average citizen is for the same "accident" does.
Its grossly unfair to people
By Kinopio
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 10:20am
Its grossly unfair to people who don't want to be shot by morons and their guns.
The officer allowed the
By DPM
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 8:35am
The officer allowed the trigger to be pulled, guns don't just go off.
Only scenario I can see culpability of the officer being reduced is if his holster was worn out he had requested replacement and had failed to receive one in reasonable time. Worn out leather holsters can be dangerous.
Most holstered "accidental" discharges happen.....
By Pete Nice
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 9:48am
-When something gets caught in the trigger guard and the weapon isn't holstered properly, so the person attempts to properly holster the firearm with the trigger getting pulled.
-When something is caught, and the magazine isn't set properly and the owner slaps the magazine in place (rare)
-The most common reason is the person has an unholstered weapon and the trigger gets pulled somehow.
Add comment