DEA agent shoots self during gun safety class for Orlando kids

The Miami Herald ^ | Fri, Apr. 30, 2004 | Associated Press

[archy]

DEA agent shoots self during gun safety class for Orlando kids

Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. - A federal drug agent shot himself in the leg during a gun safety presentation to children and his bosses are investigating.

The Drug Enforcement Administration agent, whose name was not released, was giving a gun safety presentation to about 50 adults and students organized by the Orlando Minority Youth Golf Association, witnesses and police said.

He drew his .40-caliber duty weapon and removed the magazine, according to the police report. Then he pulled back the slide and asked someone in the audience to look inside the gun and confirm it wasn't loaded, the report said.

Witnesses said the gun was pointed at the floor and when he released the slide, one shot fired into the top of his left thigh.

"The kids screamed and started to cry," said Vivian Farmer, who attended the presentation with her 13-year-old nephew.

"Everyone was pretty shaken up," Farmer said. "But the point of gun safety hit home. Unfortunately, the agent had to get shot. But after seeing that, my nephew doesn't want to have anything to do with guns."

The agent was treated at Orlando Regional Medical Center after the April 9 shooting and returned to work, DEA special agent Joe Kilmer said.

Police ruled the shooting was an accident, but the DEA headquarters in Washington was still investigating, Kilmer said.

[Darksheare]

Moderator, can you PLEASE remove my dupe post #160 please?
*GRR!*
Double post!
How now that?!

[Darksheare]

Meaning he didn't suffer any damage that he minded?

[archy]

Meaning he didn't suffer any damage that he minded?

I suspect he may have been more concerned for the damage to his career and retirement checks than to his leg.

-archy-/-

[eastforker]

Without reading all the comments I have to say it sounds like a setup. Shot with .40 caliber in thigh, was treated and returned to work. Any one want to bet it was a blank that went off and red dye packet burst for effect? You know, Scare the hell out of everybody about the horrors of evil guns? Just a thought.

[taxcontrol]

Yes, as part of a standard "how to clear a firearm" training, people should be instructed that you need to observe 3 things before you can be satisfied that the weapon is "clear" of ammunition.

#1 the student needs to observe that all amunition has been removed. In a pistol, this would mean removing the magazine

#2 observe that the chamber is empty by actually inspecting the chamber. Apparently this is what was NOT done by this officer.

#3 observe that the bolt does not have a "seated" round. It is possible with some rifles and in poor lighting, for the bolt to be pulled back, the person look into the chamber and then push the bolt forward. The problem is, the bolt STILL had a round.

[eastforker]

nephew doesn't want to have anything to do with guns."

[Wolfie]

Certainly an occasion for fresh water in the bong.

[B4Ranch]

>>People who cant competently handle a magazine fed slide operated pistol deserved to be shot in the leg.<< How about just carrying a revolver?

[Imal]

Definitely Just Damn material.

[manic4organic]

I wish our concealed carry laws allowed us to bring guns into schools. Nutcases don't seem to respect laws when they decide to shoot up a school, church, city hall, etc., etc.

[Darksheare]

True.

Eastforker brings up an interesting thought in 164.
Blank round and dye packet?
Scare people about the eeeviiiil gun?
Could it be a setup at all, or were his wounds real, considering he was treated for a thigh wound and released back to work?
Odd.
But, I don't know the whole deal and with the press these days you don't get the whole story from the Leftists and the few who try to get the whole story through are lambasted as not having the right politics.

Guess I'll wait for 'hard data' then?

[spunkets]

" "The kids screamed and started to cry,""

I'll bet they did. The guy's a mope.

[philman_36]

But after seeing that, my nephew doesn't want to have anything to do with guns."
Mission accomplished. Even if only one child is prevented from having anything to do with firearms then our mission is accomplished.

Do I need an /sarcasm?

[eastforker]

Also,it says the gun dicharged when the slide was released. Who the hell has thier finger on the trigger when you release a slide. This story is either written by someone that hasn't a clue or written by someone that knows most non-gun owners haven't a clue.

[spunkets]

...hysterically rolling on the floor.

After the pain in your ears settled down!

[Cap'n Crunch]

unbelievable, glad no kids got hurt... physically anyway. Probably gonna be some 'trauma' lawsuits out of that one.

Stay safe! :-)

[Vigilantcitizen]

I imagine the agent will suffer much more at the hands of his co-workers than he did due to the wound.

[FreedomCalls]

One of the students had a camera phone with him and managed to get this photo....

[Mulder]

I suspect that what happened was that the "agent" racked the slide and then removed the magazine, leaving one in the pipe.

And then he made up a "plausible" accidental discharge story that no one would be able to dispute since most, if not all, of his audience knew nothing about guns.

[hookman]