On the way to dropping my youngest son off at school, we passed by no less than 20 Ford Explorers Police Interceptors near the Dollar General on Hwy 17. Naturally, I had to look it up when I got home. Initial reports were three people stole a car in Ft. Myers, hit another car, they fired shots at the car they hit and took off. The hitting of the other car and shots fired have since disappeared from the reporting, but that’s the only explanation I have for the 20 Police Interceptors.

Deputies in my county, Charlotte, were pursuing them up 17 and called ahead to the DeSoto County Sheriff. DeSoto County Deputies chased the people back into Charlotte County, were they stopped in a parking lot south of the Dollar General. This is what ABC has to say about that:

“Desoto County deputy’s gun discharges during scuffle, no one injured

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) - A Charlotte County suspect gave chase in a stolen vehicle after crossing into DeSoto County, deputies say. The incident culminated with a Desoto deputy’s gun discharging, but no one was hurt at the time.

Detectives conducting an investigation in the area of Turbak Drive in Punta Gorda got in touch with DeSoto County once they realized a stolen vehicle was heading in their direction along Duncan Road. DCSO engaged the suspects as the vehicle pulled into the parking lot of 305 Duncan Road. The DCSO deputy made contact with the occupants, who then attempted to flee, and a scuffle occurred. During that scuffle, the DCSO deputy’s firearm discharged; however, there are no reports of injuries.

Charlotte County deputies located the subjects in CCSO jurisdiction and have all parties accounted for. There is no threat to the public.

The investigation is ongoing.“ Link

I’ve been unsuccessful in finding what DeSoto County Deputies carry.

My son and I drove past at about 7:20am, they still had over 10 cars there at 9:30am, and by noon just the forensics guys were there. Seems like a really large response for just a stolen car that three people bailed from.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: trapper189,

Wonder what the Deputy was carrying?

There's NO indication whatsoever that the Deputy's gun went 'off by itself'...Just that it 'went off' during a scuffle!

Every version of the story I’ve read says something along the lines of the “gun discharged”. Not a single version said the gun was discharged, that the deputy fired his sidearm, or the suspect fired the gun. Nope, they all say the gun did it.

A gun does not discharge or fire. A gun can be discharged or fired.

Gun discharged during a scuffle vs. gun was discharged during a scuffle. C'mon, let's be serious...Journalists are involved!

Me thinks you're jumpin' the gun here (pun intended)

Otherwise, you should post a link to a story that's a LOT closer to 'it went off by itself' then

You’re right, I’m being picky and I’ve edited my thread title. I normally don’t read or watch the news because the people writing or reading it clearly don’t have a clue what they are writing or talking about. Wink News changed their story about this incident 4 times today. In one version, they reported the road the suspects were captured on as a road that was a mile away from where the action really was.

As a SWFL resident for over 30 years the news reporting locally is not what you would call top shelf. There are so many stories that involve either law enforcement or the school system that has stories that change by the hour.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that somehow the trigger was depressed by one of the participants, most likely the deputy.
In fact, I might buy everyone lunch if I'm wrong.

My best friend had an incident with a P226. He had returned from a shift and SOP was to unload the weapon prior to changing. He was sitting oin the bench in front of his locker. He dropped the mag, cupped the slide in his left hand and eased it back intending for the chambered round to hit is palm and fall back through the mag well into his lap as he typically did every day since leaving the academy.

On that particular day, with the slid at about 1/3 battery, the round discharged. The result was a burn in his palm showing the exact location of the slide/ejection port, a gouge in his palm from the front sight, and abrasions on his finger and thumb from the force of the slide being torn from his grip. Fortunately the barrel was pointed at a wall and the round impacted there. Case damage indicated the weapon fired partially out of battery.

The weapon was tagged and shipped to HQ for investigation and he went to the hospital to be treated for his injuries. A few months later a report came out changing SOP to prevent the slow racking of the slide to control round dischrage to a forceful rack with the muzzle pointed into a sand bucket that was no being issued to all posts. This apparently had happened to 3 others but no one believed their stories until they reviewed the pictures of the burn on his palm.

As most of us know, this is a hammer fired weapon and the hammer was in fact partially pushed back by the slide at that point out of battery. Conventional knowledge would indicate there was no way this weapon could discharge, yet it did.

quote:

Deputy’s gun reportedly discharges in my county and nobody knows why

P320 ?