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Police: Hug Triggers Officer's Gun, Kills Woman
Boston.com ^ | 7/8/2012 | AP Science Writer

Posted on 07/09/2012 8:33:15 AM PDT by pgyanke

A woman celebrating the weekend before her 25th birthday was fatally shot Sunday when she hugged an off-duty police officer while dancing at a party, causing the officer’s service weapon to fire, according to police and her mother.

...

According to Stephens, the woman “embraced the officer from behind, causing the holstered weapon to accidently discharge.’’ The bullet punctured Miller’s lung and hit her heart, and she died at a hospital.

(Excerpt) Read more at articles.boston.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: banglist; gun
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This is horrible for all involved. However, I must be getting very cynical in my old age... it occurs to me that the gun manufacturer or the city would have much deeper pockets than an off-duty cop.

How, exactly does a holstered weapon (pointed down) fire accidentally (trigger protected to prevent accidents or bad guys) and hit a woman in the lung who is hugging the officer from behind? Unless she was hugging his knees and reached up for his waist, this just seems so incredibly unlikely.

1 posted on 07/09/2012 8:33:16 AM PDT by pgyanke
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To: pgyanke

Maybe it was in one of those “Miami Vice” shoulder holsters, where the muzzle is pointed to the rear of the wearer.


2 posted on 07/09/2012 8:37:18 AM PDT by 04-Bravo
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To: pgyanke

Shoulder holster under his left arm, when she hugged him it rotated slightly.
Off duty guy probably went to push it back up or similar and poof?
/ end obvious speculation.


3 posted on 07/09/2012 8:37:43 AM PDT by Darksheare (You will never defeat Bok Choy!)
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To: Springman; cyclotic; netmilsmom; RatsDawg; PGalt; FreedomHammer; queenkathy; madison10; ...
Accidental shooting by Detroit officer. I have some questions about how this cold have happened.

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4 posted on 07/09/2012 8:38:01 AM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: pgyanke

Premature ejaculation?

Went off at the slightest touch.....

Betting the weapon was “streamlined” to an unsafe extent.

Cops aren’t supposed to do that, and most have policies against lightening the trigger pull.


5 posted on 07/09/2012 8:38:15 AM PDT by G Larry (I'm under no obligation to be a passive victim!)
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To: pgyanke
Perhaps the off-duty cop was carrying a gun in something like this shoulder holster.
6 posted on 07/09/2012 8:39:33 AM PDT by Carl Vehse
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To: 04-Bravo

My thoughts exactly. I carry a S&W 4506 in a Galco “Miami Classic.” However, I still don’t see how she managed to hit the trigger. I can’t begin to imagine how that happened. Furthermore, there is, of course, a strap that slides between the hammer and the firing pin, exactly like what you have on a hip, duty holster. Whole thing seems strange to me.


7 posted on 07/09/2012 8:40:14 AM PDT by Doctor 2Brains (If the government were Paris Hilton, it could not score a free drink in a bar full of lonely sailors)
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To: 04-Bravo
Maybe it was in one of those “Miami Vice” shoulder holsters, where the muzzle is pointed to the rear of the wearer.

Jackass Rig

8 posted on 07/09/2012 8:42:35 AM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, YHvH, Your law is my delight.)
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To: pgyanke

In January at my concealed carry class, the instuctor went over the various holster options. I’ve owned a shoulder holster like this officer has, for years. I was surprised when my instructor pointed out a few drawbacks of this type of holster. One was you are always pointing the end of the barrel somewhere that is not directly into the ground, it is pointed at a somewhat higher angle than that. As your body moves around, the pointing also moves in a sweeping manner behind you. He mentioned the remote possibility of an accidental discharge while holstered.

This poor woman must have been a lot shorter than the officer. Hard to say how the accidental discharge took place, but that’s why it’s called accidental.

I like my shoulder holster. The drawbacks of a purse-carry are too great, I’d never do that (yes I am a woman). I like how the shoulder holster keeps the weapon very close to the body.


9 posted on 07/09/2012 8:44:55 AM PDT by TheConservativeParty ("The skinny socialist is a big fat liar."-Monica Crowley author of "What the Bleep Just Happened")
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To: pgyanke
Just off the top of my head;
Gun was probably holstered in a shoulder holster with the barrel pointed either up or to the back.
1911 type weapon with the hammer cocked. A safety was either defective or when she hugged the cop, she managed to somehow deactivate the safeties. I am not a 1911 fan, but if memory serves, that sucker has two. I am sure someone here that has one will correct me. Another case for the Mythbusters.
10 posted on 07/09/2012 8:45:32 AM PDT by Tupelo (TeaPartier ..... but no longer a Republican)
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To: pgyanke

Can’t believe I didn’t think of a shoulder holster...


11 posted on 07/09/2012 8:52:27 AM PDT by pgyanke (Republicans get in trouble when not living up to their principles. Democrats... when they do.)
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To: pgyanke

Hugs are better than slugs.................


12 posted on 07/09/2012 8:53:16 AM PDT by Red Badger (Think logically. Act normally.................)
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To: pgyanke

Only police should have guns because ...


13 posted on 07/09/2012 8:56:30 AM PDT by coloradan (The US has become a banana republic, except without the bananas - or the republic.)
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To: Tupelo

In a proper holster the trigger guard is usually covered and/or a safety strap holds the weapon. If the weapon was indeed a 1911 style carried with ‘cocked and locked’, the grip safety should have prevented the discharge. Something seems fishy about the whole story. If it were a civilian, and the safeties were disabled, the person would be chastised and probably charged with a crime, yet the cop is getting a pass from the media morons and the unsuspecting public.


14 posted on 07/09/2012 8:57:00 AM PDT by toolman1401
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To: pgyanke

Probably one of them there safe action Glocks. Only way for a gun to go off is to pull the trigger. Poor lady.


15 posted on 07/09/2012 9:00:28 AM PDT by Afterguard
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To: Tupelo

OT but I used to like MythBusters until I found out they love 0. I prefer shoulder holsters and my autos point back and revolvers down.


16 posted on 07/09/2012 9:02:37 AM PDT by mcshot (God bless the USA! OMG PLEASE vote ABO or OWW and our Country dies.)
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To: pgyanke

Sounds bogus. How does a pistol fire unless it is cocked?


17 posted on 07/09/2012 9:06:05 AM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: pgyanke

I use nothing but revolvers.

I woudn’t have an automatic for anything.

Revolvers are tried and true.They don’t go off without help and they don’t jam.

True, they don’t have as many bullets, but I don’t plan on being around much after firing 6 rounds anyway.


18 posted on 07/09/2012 9:06:59 AM PDT by Venturer
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To: pgyanke
This thread has just added to the FreeRepublic "bang list" (firearms interest list) by adding the keyword "banglist".

Any time a firearms-related thread is created on FreeRepublic, please be sure to add the "banglist" keyword to it so that interested FReepers don't miss it. Just a suggestion.

Let Freedom Ring,

Gun Facts v6!

Click the pic to go to the Gun Facts v6 download page!

19 posted on 07/09/2012 9:13:10 AM PDT by Joe Brower (Sheep have three speeds: "graze", "stampede" and "cower".)
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To: pgyanke
This sounds bogus.

A Boston blog written by an AP Science writer
about something that happened in Detroit.

I'm guessing the the off duty officer modified his
Jackass rig by removing the trigger guard cover.


20 posted on 07/09/2012 9:13:54 AM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, YHvH, Your law is my delight.)
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