Tampa officer sues Sig Sauer for alleged defect that caused misfire, injury

fox13news.com ^ | Aug. 6, 2021 | Catherine Hawley

[PROCON]

TAMPA, Fla. - A Tampa Police Reserve Officer says his department-issued service weapon fired without pulling the trigger, seriously injuring him. The 30-year veteran of the force is now suing the company that manufactures the firearm.

Last February, Bob Northrop was working an extra duty assignment as a TPD Reserve Officer patrolling Jefferson High School during a baseball game. Northrop says he was standing just feet from students and their families when his hand brushed his holstered service weapon.

"And the very second I touched the gun, it discharged," Northrop said. "I tried to take another step and I couldn't."

The 69-year-old needed emergency surgery after a 9mm hollow-point bullet shattered his leg and ankle, causing permanent injuries.

Northrop’s legal team represents nearly two-dozen people across the nation whose P320s fired without pulling the trigger. They say Sig Sauer knows about the firearm’s defective design and is being negligent.

"I am emphatic that I didn't do anything illegal against the rules, against policy, or anything else," said Northrop. "That gun discharged by itself."

[eastexsteve]

This is also what can happen when you modify the trigger to the point that it goes off if you even breathe on it wrong. I have a Sig P365xl that has a good, but very deliberate trigger pull - and a thumb safety.

[gundog]

I did it once. Seems like there was a little trick to it.

[Openurmind]

They also replaced the sear in this 320 fix. I suspect the sear also had a lot to do with this issue.

https://www.smallgunparts.com/Sig-P320-Upgraded-Sear

[taxcontrol]

Yeah, I agree.

First off, if you are on a range but not on the firing line, what are you doing with an loaded CHAMBERED weapon? All weapons should be loaded only when you get to the firing line. Further, cleared when removed from the firing line (i.e. shooter in the lane)

Second, unless there is video, I highly doubt the story.

[gundog]

Just watched a reassembly video. Thank God for YouTube. I didn’t strip it down to pins. I can usually clean something with soaking and agitation.

[Vaquero]

Cool weapon. I have been looking for a colt 1903 or 1908 in .32 or .380. Im specifically looking for a general officers model marked property of the US Army. They have considerably more value than civilian versions

[Blood of Tyrants]

I’ve seen reports where the guns will fire accidentally.

[Who is John Galt?]

Thank God for YouTube.

Some of the disassembly/reassembly videos are great. I'll miss those, if/when YouTube goes full "woke"/PC and bans gun info...

[OldGoatCPO]

Cabelas in Hartford Wisconsin had two of them for sale a year ago. One (civilian model) in the original box it was issued in. Price were reasonable. I am not sure if all Cabelas do it, but this one had a separate section with antique and older model rifles and pistols.

Here is one, but damn the prices have gone up: https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/pistols/colt-pistols-1903/colt-model-1903-military-pistol-issued-to-b-g-yates.cfm?gun_id=101706088

[Vaquero]

The plague, BLM and Antifa have made gun prices go up and Ammo barely available. Cest la vie.

[Fightin Whitey]

Couldn't he have used the aremaining cartridge to shoot the P320 out of his own hand?

Problem solved.

[Fightin Whitey]

"the remaining cartridge" isss what I meaned.

My laptop went off as I was changing the fount. Font. Ect. ect.

[OldGoatCPO]

Absolutely, I have a beautiful Browning BAR 30.06 Grade II hunting rifle. It comes with the BAR bolt and gas system. Every time I clean it I watch YouTube first and keep it pulled up for when I reassemble. Rifle was built in Belgium and initially sold in the 60’s and 70’s. She is still as beautiful as ever and she gets a lot of admirers when I go hunting.

[OldGoatCPO]

.32 ACP is still available, it is not as popular or well know with new shooters like your 9mm or .380. I was planning to selling my .40 because I bought a 9mm NANO for my daughter but she does not like it. So I carry it. Glad I didn't .40 is still available where I am at.

I was lucky, I went shooting with my Grandson before the whole COVID/BLM/ANTIFA BS kicked off. I made it a habit of buying a box or two of ammo anytime I went to the Exchange or outdoor stores. I just did that to replenish the boxes (..and boxes and more boxes) my Grandson spent that day on the range. By the time all the BS hit I was fully restocked.

[redcatcherb412]

So, the gunsmith is guessing it was a defective cartridge, is the right?

correct.

[Vaquero]

I reload 90% of my own ammo. I have supplies. So I go to the range almost every week. Sometimes just for an hour or less to check out a load or a recently worked on weapon.
I would buy a box Or 3 of 9mm or .380 at Walmart until they went over to the ‘woke’ side. Now I avoid them. My handloads cover that loss though.

[OldGoatCPO]

Wish I had gotten into reloading. I have a friend who has offered to reload for me. I give him spent brass and pay for primers. I gave him a lot of .223 and 5.56 after my grandson was done.

I have not been in a WALMART in over a year, same with DICKS. I got curious and checked the value of some of my rifles online, holy crap! I need to re-insure my guns for more money.

[wastedyears]

Are police really allowed to use hollow point?

[Vaquero]

Depends on the jurisdiction but yes. Only the military is bound to the Geneva convention.

Hollow points are safer for those on the other side of wall when the shooting starts

[dsc]

“Generally I prefer to control my environment to avoid the risk of my own error.”

I’ve been trying to find those words for a long time, as part of the explanation for carrying with the chamber clear.