FALL RIVER, Mass. — A Fall River police officer suffered a minor hand injury Friday during the department’s annual firearms requalification training when a weapon inadvertently discharged, according to Police Chief J.T. Hoar.
The incident occurred as the officer was demonstrating the proper and safe procedure for disassembling a department-issued firearm. Investigators noted that the officer mistakenly inserted a loaded magazine into the weapon before attempting to take it apart, causing it to go off during the process.
Following the accidental discharge, the injured officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment of a minor hand injury.
Chief Hoar stated that the training session was immediately suspended and referred the case to the department’s Office of Professional Standards for a full investigation.
Addressing the safety procedures moving forward, Chief Hoar emphasized a thorough examination of the department’s protocols:
“I have also scheduled an after-action review to thoroughly evaluate the circumstances surrounding the incident, identify any potential deficiencies in our existing firearms safety protocols and training procedures, and determine what corrective measures may be necessary,” Hoar said. “This review will also address appropriate remedial training for the officer involved.”
“Our priority is to ensure that our training environment maintains the highest standards of safety and that we use this incident as an opportunity to identify areas for improvement,” he continued. Shout out to WPRI for the reporting on this.
