Advisory
On September 19, 2022, there was an unintentional discharge of an officer-issued firearm at Edison Middle School. The holster was sent back to Safariland who had their engineers inspect the holster and they found no defeats. The firearm was sent back to Smith and Wesson for inspection. The firearm was returned to the police department on November 10, 2022, with a letter indicating they found no defects. The firearm passed all their function and firing checks also.
We know the officer's backpack strap was unintentionally hooked on the grip of the firearm just prior to the unintentional discharge. This would put the access tail of the strap in close proximity to the holster and firearm. The officer said they pulled on the shoulder strap to disengage the strap from the firearm grip. It was during this process the firearm was discharged. At this point, the only reasonable, although not provable, cause of the discharge is most likely the backpack strap tail getting into the holster and engaging the trigger. We looked at the backpack and found it was possible for the backpack strap tail to get into the holster.
This was an unintentional, unique, and isolated incident.
Unintentional Discharge of Firearm
Unintentional Discharge of Firearm |
We know the officer's backpack strap was unintentionally hooked on the grip of the firearm just prior to the unintentional discharge. This would put the access tail of the strap in close proximity to the holster and firearm. The officer said they pulled on the shoulder strap to disengage the strap from the firearm grip. It was during this process the firearm was discharged. At this point, the only reasonable, although not provable, cause of the discharge is most likely the backpack strap tail getting into the holster and engaging the trigger. We looked at the backpack and found it was possible for the backpack strap tail to get into the holster.
This was an unintentional, unique, and isolated incident.
Incident Number: |
Location: 1649 S. Chatham St. |
By: Lt Mark Ratzlaff |
Date: 11-11-2022 |
Address/Location
Janesville Police Department
100 N Jackson St
Janesville, WI 53548
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 608-755-3100
Lt. Mark Ratzlaff
Investigation
[email protected]
608-755-3132