Mercer Island police officer shoots self in the butt

BY Kim Shepard  on November 29, 2012 @ 12:53 pm (Updated: 1:44 pm - 11/29/12 )

Sitting down to Christmas dinner could be a lot harder this year for a cop on Mercer Island, after he accidentally shot himself in the derriere.

The 7-year veteran of the Mercer Island Police Department was working with a multi-agency narcotics task force to search a home in Shoreline Thursday morning. As they were wrapping up and he tried to re-holster his weapon, the gun went off.

"He did shoot his buttocks area, but he'll be fine," says Mercer Island Police Commander Leslie Burns.

The officer was taken to Harborview Medical Center. Department supervisors spoke to him briefly about the accident, but they don't yet have a clear picture of exactly why his gun fired.

"We're just more interested in his health and safety at this time," says Commander Burns.

Once the officer has had time to recover, she says they will interview him again to see if there are any additional safety procedures that need to be implemented to ensure this type of accident doesn't happen again.

"Fortunately, this doesn't happen on a regular occasion," Burns says. "I've been with our department for about 17 years and we've not had any other incidents like this."

Kim Shepard, KIRO Radio Reporter
Kim Shepard is a news anchor and reporter for KIRO Radio and the office optimist. She's energetic, quick to laugh and has a positive outlook on life.
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Comments (17)


  • Add A Comment

  • CH wrote...
    And to think the Republicans were Circus Clowns . . . .
    November 29, 2012 1:24 pm
    LE + Guns = Bad Mix. He took it in the Assssssssssssssssssssssssssss nice.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • happy happy joy joy wrote...
    i guess he forgot
    November 29, 2012 1:29 pm
    I guess he forgot to keep his finger straight and off the trigger till he was ready to shoot. This sounds like a classic case of adrenaline where he kept his finger on the trigger while trying to holster.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    You are a mental midget...,
    November 29, 2012 1:55 pm
    ...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • WAmovesRight wrote...
    Please don't release his name...
    November 29, 2012 2:00 pm
    ... how embarrassing... poor guy. :)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RnD_Fan wrote...
    He'll be ok.
    November 29, 2012 3:33 pm
    Glad for him that it was:

    a) his own bottom

    b) not an innocent bystander

    He'll be ok, which is good.

    Unfortunately, 'Hater' comments in

    3

    2

    1

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleNative wrote...
    Godd thing...
    November 29, 2012 3:41 pm
    ...the barrel was apparently pointed in a downward trajectory. Bullets have a nasty habit of going through walls and striking innocent bystanders.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • WAmovesRight wrote...
    Agree...
    November 29, 2012 3:46 pm
    ... definitely needs reprimanded and some remedial training... but still... you just know he's not going to live that down on the force. He'll be the "butt" of many jokes for years to come. :)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    One statewide office
    November 29, 2012 3:51 pm
    Yeah, WAmovesRight.

    Funny

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ratrustle wrote...
    Two words... Barney Fife
    November 29, 2012 3:51 pm
    Bet his partner gets to keep his bullets for him until he gets some more training on how to holster his gun!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lonestar wrote...
    Maybe
    November 29, 2012 4:16 pm
    He should sue himself for police brutality!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    Police say that respect for them and the law is all important.
    November 29, 2012 4:36 pm
    Why would they think that they have earned the public's respect when they literally keep shooting themselves in the foot?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • lotusclown wrote...
    instant carma..
    November 29, 2012 7:46 pm
    would have been downright hillarious had the leftist weekend warrior hit a main artery and died... we could be so lucky...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Jeff Schroeder wrote...
    This was Mercer Island...
    November 29, 2012 8:02 pm
    Cops don't need guns. They need machines to reject VISA transactions. That's tazzering to the Yuppies on the East Side...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Why did the officer
    November 30, 2012 5:36 am
    Have the gun in the "cocked" position?Having ones weapon in the "cocked" position is not even allowed in combat zones
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Pressman wrote...
    Thanks, Jeff-
    November 30, 2012 10:29 am
    That's downright funny !
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cash wrote...
    My guess
    November 30, 2012 8:18 am
    Is he had a Glock 22 (.40 cal) with a light attached to the plastic trigger guard. There if a flex in the plastic guard that can cause the Glock to trip the striker safety and fire. Glocks should never be carried with a light attached to them. My opinion Glocks should never be carried but that is just me; I would spend the extra $$$ for an HK or Kimber.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • David Sims wrote...
    Andy shouldn't have given Barney the bullet
    December 1, 2012 6:07 am
    This reminds me of the black cop who was showing guns to high school kids when he shot himself in the foot right there in the classroom. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxWWJaTEdD0 "I'm the only one in this room professional enough to carry a Glock 40." BANG!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }