"When you need it, you need it," he said. "Every split second counts." "
Note the subtle but very important liberal anti-gun bias. The sentence reads "... pistol ... accidentally discharged ..." What, the pistol didn't mean to discharge? Foolish pistol.
The sentence should properly read "... was accidentally discharged..." to indicate the truth that somebody was behind the accidental discharge. The pistol was just minding it's own business.