Seattle police officer accidentally shoots woman
Sep 6, 2013, 8:30 AM | Updated: 8:36 am
Seattle police say an officer accidentally shot a 19-year-old woman on Wednesday evening.
“This was an unintended shooting,” said Assistant Police Chief Paul McDonagh. “The officer realized that the gun had discharged, immediately called for Seattle Fire Department aid units to respond, which they did, and she received immediate treatment.”
Police say the unarmed woman suffered a wound that was not considered life-threatening. It was later found she was wanted on felony warrants.
McDonagh told reporters that, in his words, “any discharge of a weapon is very, very serious to us.”
McDonagh said the officer was among those responding to a bogus report of a bomb when he saw one woman punching another. One woman ran and the officer chased her. The officer couldn’t see the woman’s hands but thought they were near her waistband. Police say the officer drew his gun to cover himself and the gun discharged accidentally.
Seattle police report the 29-year-old officer has been with the department for a year and a half. He has been placed on administrative leave while the shooting is investigated.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
