Spokane officer's daughter shoots self with dad's gun

BY Tim Haeck  on April 11, 2012 @ 6:08 am (Updated: 7:09 am - 4/11/12 )

Related
For the fourth time since February, a child has been shot with a gun in Washington. The latest case involves the daughter of a Spokane police officer.

The shooting happened at the home of police officer Barry O'Connell. His 10-year-old daughter shot herself in the leg with her father's duty weapon. Police Chief Scott Stephens tells Spokane's KREM TV station that the girl is in stable condition.

"It's a tragic situation and thankfully, the young child's injuries are not as severe as they could have been," said Stephens.

We don't know where the police officer was at the time of the shooting and we're also not told how the girl got the gun.

An internal investigation is underway and the Spokane County Sheriff's office is doing a separate investigation.

"They're looking at the criminal side of it to see if there were any elements that would make criminal culpability on the part of our officer," explained Stephens.

The shooting happened on Easter Sunday but it was not revealed to news reporters until Tuesday.

"We wanted to make sure that we gave the sheriff's office time to truly investigate this and the other was we had an individual that was trying to provide care for his 10-year-old daughter that had been wounded," said Stephens.

This is the fourth shooting of a child in Washington in the last seven weeks. Two have died. Two of those shootings have involved the children of police officers.

Last month, a boy shot and killed his 7-year-old sister with a gun left in the family car. The girl was the daughter of a Marysville police officer. The sheriff in Snohomish County says an investigation continues and that the case should be forwarded to the county prosecutor's office in a week or two.

A few days after that, on March 14, a 3-year-old boy shot and killed himself while playing with a gun left in a car while a family stopped for gas in Tacoma. The boy's mother and her boyfriend are being prosecuted.

In February, an 8-year-old girl was wounded when a gun went off inside a backpack at an elementary school in Bremerton. That girl just recently left the hospital. Three people were charged in that case, including the girl's classmate who brought the gun to school.

In this latest shooting in Spokane, the police officer will stay home with his daughter for awhile and then go on desk duty while criminal and internal investigations are underway.

Tim Haeck, KIRO Radio Reporter
Tim Haeck is a news reporter with KIRO Radio. While Tim is one of our go-to, no-nonsense reporters, he also has a sensationally dry sense of humor and it will surprise some to learn he is a weekend warrior.
Related:
More Local News
Top Stories
MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (27)


  • Add A Comment

  • BikeNazi wrote...
    2 civilians, 2 cops, 4 shootings of kids
    April 11, 2012 6:36 am
    But who gets the charges filed against them? The cops should be held to a significantly higher standard. By letting their own kids shoot someone they have violated their own creed "To serve and protect". Or is that the motto of the police union...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    Bike Nazi - do some research before you shoot off your mouth eh?
    April 11, 2012 6:40 am
    The other cop's child shooting is still under investigation. When a Cop's involved, things always slow down. They haven't decided to press charges or not yet. Get mad about that, not about something that isn't true, ok?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BikeNazi wrote...
    FormerMarineLiar
    April 11, 2012 10:22 am
    The civilians were charged right away and then they were dragged through the mud by the likes of Ron and Duuuuhn and Dori Monson as crackheads and loser. The cop shootings are still "under investigation", as in "we're investigating any and all legal side doors we can find to let this pig off".

    The better solution is to give the cop his gun back, give him a picture of his child and tell him to take his dog for a walk out in North Bend. The "problem" will work itself out quickly.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • worhtalook wrote...
    the "civilians"
    April 11, 2012 11:33 am
    were..ARE crackheads..or the like and losers! Totally different circumsatnces in the Police Officer incident in Marysville..still waiting to hear about theone in SPokane, but DO NOT even compare the two..accidents happen, but when you look at the life styles of all involved and how they chose to live their lives and what they subjected their little children to in their homes are completely different..so don't try to drag down a Police Officer to the scu,m level of the other two involved..you just don't like Police and I'll wager any other person of authority. Bet you have been in trouble quite a bit in your life..so rather than make positive life changes to keep out of trouble, you just blame the Police for everything..
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    Another one? Geez....... When will people learn?
    April 11, 2012 6:43 am
    My sympathies for the child and family. I hope she recovers fully and quickly. BUT How many more children are going to be hurt or killed before WE gun owners step up and start following proper gun safety 100% of the time? Children - even well taught children are going to do stupid things like pick up a gun a play with it. WE as adults MUST step up 100% of the time and keep ALL guns properly secured (on your hip, in your hand, within arm's reach AND in your sight OR locked up). Failing that, we are doomed to repeat this tragedy many, many, many more times.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sleuth96 wrote...
    FormerMarineSgt..
    April 11, 2012 7:34 am
    For once you and I are in total agreement. The 2nd Amendment guarantees us the right to bear arms, but with that right comes an even greater responsibility, which some people seem to forget or ignore. My agency has a very strict policy when it comes to our service weapon. I have to lock it up in a lock box every night with a trigger guard in place. Even if my house were to get burglarized, my service weapon stolen, and it was later determined that I did not follow policy, I would be up crap creek without a paddle. To me it is sickening to see these kids getting injured and/or killed by their parent's own weapons. And those in LE and the military should certainly know better. If a person is going to keep a loaded gun in the house for quick access to help protect the family, then please for the love of Pete place that weapon into some safe or contraption that only an adult can access.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    sleuth96 - "If a person is going to keep a loaded gun in the house..."
    April 11, 2012 8:54 am
    I think you need to rephrase that to read (not yelling with the upper case, just showing my words vs yours) "If a person is going to keep a loaded OR UNLOADED gun in the house for quick access to help protect the family OR FOR ANY REASON, then please for the love of Pete place that weapon into some safe or contraption that only an adult can access UNLESS IT IS IN YOUR HAND, ON YOUR HIP OR WITHIN ARM'S REACH
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kiddenme wrote...
    So sad...
    April 11, 2012 6:46 am
    And here comes the gun defenders.... "guns don't shoot kids....kids shoot kids"....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    Kiddenme, you're right...
    April 11, 2012 7:02 am
    even if that little girl hadn't gotten her hands on that gun, it probably would have somehow sought her out and shot her all by itself. GET A CLUE. Guns don't do a d4mn thing unless a human being lets it happen. This shooting is, very likely, entirely the fault of that gun's owner -- a police officer, no less -- who d4mn well should have known better.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    Sean - get real.
    April 11, 2012 8:56 am
    You're either being sarcastic in a way that I'm not getting or you totally missed kiddenme's point where he was mocking the knee jerk reaction of many blindly allegiant gun defenders who rise the to cause EVEN WHEN the situation was preventable by simple actions of the gun owner.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    When a Cop's involved, things always slow down . . . .
    April 11, 2012 6:53 am
    and get a paid vaction. Soooooooooooooo nice. Going to the dollar store today and get me a star tin badge.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    IF?
    April 11, 2012 7:11 am
    The police officers failed to secure their weapons it should result in them being fired. In this case 1 strike and your out.If a person worked with hazardous materials and a child got his hands on them and was harmed (or a classmate)as a result I'm sure criminal charges would result and this is no different in my eyes
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    messian101
    April 11, 2012 8:56 am
    Agreed.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Drool wrote...
    "We wanted to make sure that we gave the sheriff's office time to truly investigate this and the other was we had an individual that was trying to provide care for his 10-year-old daughter that had been wounded," said Stephens.
    April 11, 2012 8:10 am
    Just like they do for any other citizen.....not. Talk about taking care of your own.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Drool wrote...
    Where is Washington Cease Fire....
    April 11, 2012 8:12 am
    ...demanding that police should be disarmed?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Nervoso wrote...
    They need to make an example out of this person
    April 11, 2012 9:12 am
    charge the owner of the weapon with attempted murder, send a strong message to people who leave their weapons unsecured.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • LOUMAN wrote...
    We should NOT be having this discussion...were it NOT for the likes, of unworthy, irresponsible, and theUNACCEPTABLE behavior of a Sworn Officer..AGAIN!!?
    April 11, 2012 10:42 am
    @ Nervosos...could't agree more! Though highly debatable..it would truly give other officers something to ponder! @CH .. Why? Why do you continue to 'prove' your ignorance, publically? @ FormerMarineSgt ..."OOHRAH DEVILDOG!!" Very well said, even better 'supported'! Semper Fi Dog! @BikeNazi.. Better check that slander boy..'Respect..is earned..try a little more..there's hope! @kiddenme .. Not even a 'comment worthy' statement... @ iKOP ... lmbo! =)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dori monson fan wrote...
    preferential treatmen
    April 11, 2012 11:15 am
    how come it took three days for this story to hit the news stands?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dori monson fan wrote...
    how about a change in policy
    April 11, 2012 11:18 am
    service weapons need to be left at the police station once the shift ends.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • xplanes wrote...
    dori monson fan
    April 11, 2012 11:35 am
    umm, because he has at least the same rights to carry as the rest of us. How about we stop punishing the innocent in advance to prevent the guilty from doing what they do. Quit picking on (disarming) the officers who have enough sense to keep their weapon away from their kids. Talk about knee jerk reactions. There are plenty of things short of requiring all guns to be locked up separate from the ammo people could do if they weren't so lazy and irresponsible. You don't know what the deal is yet. He could have had it locked in a gun safe and his kid could have gotten the keys while he was napping. You wouldn't believe what I did with my mom's keys when I was a kid. It would be refreshing to see people wait for the facts before they are ready to end someone's career or throw them in jail.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    When we talk about cops
    April 11, 2012 11:40 am
    or meth heads with guns, we are not talking about people with above average intelligence. Accidents are going to happen (fools with guns).
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }