Thunderbolt (Georgia) Police Officer fires weapon in bank

Savannah Now ^ | 08/02/2010 | Savannah Now

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

An off-duty Thunderbolt police officer accidentally discharged a handgun inside United Community Bank on Victory Drive on Monday morning.

The police department is conducting an internal review of this incident, which involved an officer Chief Irene Pennington identified as C. Watson.

Watson was at the bank at 2225 E. Victory about 9 a.m. and was chatting with a loan officer who was considering purchasing a handgun, Pennington said, and the officer withdrew his weapon to show it to the bank official. The handgun was the officer’s personal weapon. The officer, who has been with the department for two years, will remain on active duty, Pennington said.

“He took the clip out and looked to see if there was an extra round in the chamber,” Pennington said. “He thought it was empty.”

As the two spoke, Watson kept the handgun pointed toward the floor, but during their conversation, Watson fired the weapon, Pennington said.

The round went into the concrete floor. No one was injured and the bank remained open after the incident.

[April Lexington]

Barney Pfife on duty tonight?

[DeFault User]

Yep!

[I see my hands]

No magazine and a cleared chamber.. how does it shoot?

[April Lexington]

LOL!

[HangnJudge]

“He took the clip out and looked to see
if there was an extra round in the chamber,”
Pennington said. “He thought it was empty.”

[razorback-bert]

A dog spooked him.

[Hardraade]

“He took the clip out and looked to see if there was an extra round in the chamber,” Pennington said.”

Obviously, there was only one round in the chamber. And the trigger worked, too.

[Republic_of_Secession.]

No doubt causing some panic.

[piytar]

He followed the MOST important rule: Don’t point the gun at anything you don’t want to kill/destroy. Even after you check, the gun is STILL to be treated as loaded!

[smokingfrog]

BLAM!!!

I bet the loan officer was really impressed!

[GladesGuru]

“Is Gun! Is Never Safe!”

Attributed to Russian Firearms instructor by NRA Master Counselor Zimmerman.

[calex59]

I bet the loan officer was really impressed!

I bet he was too, he will probably buy one seeing as how he won't have to buy ammo for it since it went off while it was empty./SAR

[ltc8k6]

It’s sad that the Chief doesn’t know the difference between a clip and a magazine.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

GLOCK?

[B-Chan]

Boy, I sure am glad these assclowns don’t have the ability to kill somebody and get away with it OH WAIT

[Still Thinking]

He go to the window and they tell him they didn’t have any chicken nuggets?

[Conan the Librarian]

Around here, it was more likely a Vampire. Lots of Vampires now...and Zombies! No, wait, those are Dimocrats.

I am all for law enforcement, but, the guys in Thunderbolt are WAY over the top. Never speed there.

[seemoAR]

Must have been soft concrete for the round to go into the floor.

[Dayman]

“He took the clip (MAGAZINE!) out..."

Probably.

"...and looked to see if there was an extra round in the chamber...”

Probably not