Local officer has gun discharged by student
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Link to story
Nothing like carelesness when it comes to teaching kids gun saftey. Officer was lucky no one was serioulsy injured.
follow up article about the weapon
Gun That Discharged Is Standard Weapon For Officers
Trigger-Located Safety Means Gun Is Easy To Prepare To Fire
The gun that accidentally discharged in an Anderson County school Wednesday was a 40-caliber Glock, the weapon of choice by about 65 percent of law enforcement officers across the country.
A firearms expert said that the major advantage of the weapon --- its ease of firing -- can also be considered a danger.
"If you put your finger on the trigger and you pull the trigger, it is going to go off," said Capt. Matt Culbreath, of the Clemson Police Department.
Culbreath is a firearms instructor at the Criminal Justice Academy.
"It's very reliable and that's the key to any weapon that a law enforcement officer carries," he said. "But any weapon can be dangerous if it's not handled properly." (duuhhhhh)
The Clemson and the Clinton Police Departments are among the law enforcement agencies that have switched to a gun holster that makes it more difficult to access a weapon. Both departments have had Glocks go off accidentally previously.
Culbreath said there is no traditional safety on the Glock's trigger mechanism. He said if there were, it would create a delay in firing the weapon.
"If this weapon had an external safety -- either a de-cocker or a safety -- it would be right here, so you'd have to manipulate it with your thumb before the weapon would fire," said Culbreath.
Culbreath said most officers -- when faced with an emergency -- need the speed of the Glock.
The weapon does have two safety mechanisms. One keeps the gun from firing when dropped. The other keeps it from accidentally discharging if the trigger is not completely engaged.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Link to story
Nothing like carelesness when it comes to teaching kids gun saftey. Officer was lucky no one was serioulsy injured.
follow up article about the weapon
Gun That Discharged Is Standard Weapon For Officers
Trigger-Located Safety Means Gun Is Easy To Prepare To Fire
The gun that accidentally discharged in an Anderson County school Wednesday was a 40-caliber Glock, the weapon of choice by about 65 percent of law enforcement officers across the country.
A firearms expert said that the major advantage of the weapon --- its ease of firing -- can also be considered a danger.
"If you put your finger on the trigger and you pull the trigger, it is going to go off," said Capt. Matt Culbreath, of the Clemson Police Department.
Culbreath is a firearms instructor at the Criminal Justice Academy.
"It's very reliable and that's the key to any weapon that a law enforcement officer carries," he said. "But any weapon can be dangerous if it's not handled properly." (duuhhhhh)
The Clemson and the Clinton Police Departments are among the law enforcement agencies that have switched to a gun holster that makes it more difficult to access a weapon. Both departments have had Glocks go off accidentally previously.
Culbreath said there is no traditional safety on the Glock's trigger mechanism. He said if there were, it would create a delay in firing the weapon.
"If this weapon had an external safety -- either a de-cocker or a safety -- it would be right here, so you'd have to manipulate it with your thumb before the weapon would fire," said Culbreath.
Culbreath said most officers -- when faced with an emergency -- need the speed of the Glock.
The weapon does have two safety mechanisms. One keeps the gun from firing when dropped. The other keeps it from accidentally discharging if the trigger is not completely engaged.
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