Officer shoots himself in leg in bank stakeout

Baton Rouge Advocate ^ | July 3, 2003 | BOB ANDERSON

[Henrietta]

A plainclothes officer accidentally wounded himself as law-enforcement officers surrounded a bank Monday morning. A bank official called police to report that a man about whom the bank had received an alert from federal authorities was inside.

Walker police and Livingston Parish sheriff's deputies surrounded Hibernia Bank with plans to detain the man as he left, Police Chief Elton Burns said.

"We didn't want to storm into the bank," said Burns, who said police believed the man wanted by federal authorities might be armed.

Joseph Welda entered the bank to protect the employees "in case something went down bad inside the bank," Burns said.

Welda, instructed to hide his badge and weapon, put his 9 mm pistol into his pants pocket, Burns said.

Once inside, Welda said the man in question looked at him suspiciously, Burns said.

Welda reached into his pocket to make sure his pistol was accessible, and the gun went off, striking Welda just below the knee, the police chief said.

At that point, Welda handcuffed the man, thinking there was a federal warrant for the man's arrest, Burns said.

The man, who was unarmed, quickly said he hadn't fired the shot and only put up minor resistance, Burns said.

A bank employee, on the phone with police, reported the shot, and Burns said he ordered officers into the building.

Welda received stitches for the flesh wound, which was several inches long, before being released from a hospital, authorities said.

An inspector from the U.S. Postal Service, which had sent out the alert asking that the man be held for questioning, came to the scene, but said the Postal Service had no warrant or evidence to hold the man, Burns said.

Authorities said they subsequently released the man, whom they didn't identify because he was not booked on any charges.

[Henrietta]

Looks like this knucklehead cop had his gun in his pocket, sans holster.

I nominate him for a Darwin award. I also think he should be prosecuted for negligently discharging his firearm in a manner that endangered others.

Another interesting sidenote: It appears that they did not have an arrest warrant, nor did they have probable cause to arrest the guy that was the target of this botched police action. There is something wrong with this picture...

[Henrietta]

Bang

[CPOSharky]

Betcha it was a Glock.

"The gun went off." Bad gun, no donut.

[Young Werther]

Okay, this doofus needs extra range time. We best scope his iron! Next time he won't miss his foot!

[ClearCase_guy]

I love the "at that moment" bit. Cop shoots himself in the leg, but doesn't hesitate a second. It is "at that moment" that he cuffed the suspect. Good work officer!

[phasma proeliator]

sick 'em...

[Petruchio]

Oops!

[glock rocks]

LOL!

I wouldn't put a Glock in my pocket!
this clown should be shot!
oh wait, he was.

now with the proper in-pocket sleeve holster, I'd consider a kahr .40

[CPOSharky]

I wouldn't put a Glock in my pocket!

I do not like the "safety" on a Glock and will not own one. The only way to carry it safely is with an empty chamber.

[Capt. Tom]

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Could you imagine the hellfire and damnation that would come down on a CCW holder if he accidentally fired his weapon in a bank? But since this corndog is a cop it's all good, no problem, could've happened to anybody...

I was at a shooting range once when two cops in uniform rolled up to get some range time. It took them about 2 minutes to scare me out of there. They had absolutely no regard for the direction that their guns were pointing. When I find myself looking down the barrel of somebody's 9mm when I'm next to them at the gun range, that's my cue to hit the road. Frickin' idiots.

[glock rocks]

you bring up an interesting point.

you are uncomfortable with the glock as it has no manual safety. I wouldn't expect you to carry a firearm you are not perfectly at home comfy with.

I don't own any handguns with manual safeties... just because I've never owned one.
to go to one at this point would be contrary to years and years of revolver, sig, glock and ruger "safetyless" conditioning, and I'm comfy with that.

now in the perspective of a cop assigned a glock... maybe he has no choice... I think he's going to have a greater liklihood of an AD because some folks just shouldn't have a weapon without a manual safety (for instance, the guy in the article).

[ThreePuttinDude]

OK hold it right there, I didn't even do that!!

---

[Oztrich Boy]

An inspector from the U.S. Postal Service, which had sent out the alert asking that the man be held for questioning, came to the scene, but said the Postal Service had no warrant or evidence to hold the man,

What's wrong with this picture?