Florida Highway Patrol Commander Shoots Self in Foot at Firing Range

Herald Tribune ^ | 11/19/02 | Kelly Cramer

[marshmallow]

MANATEE COUNTY -- The district commander for the Florida Highway Patrol's Venice office shot himself in the foot with a handgun Monday morning at the Manatee Technical Institute firing range.

Capt. Van Fussell, who is seven months from retirement, was wiggling his toes before the ambulance took him away from the range. The bullet lodged in the sole of his sneaker.

He shot his right foot just above the toes while he was putting his .40-caliber Glock back in its holster, according to Range Master and FHP Trooper A.J. Goodwin.

Fussell, 64, doesn't know where his sneaker went. He said he doesn't remember what he was doing with his gun when he shot his foot.

"It was an accident," Fussell said. "I'm fine. I don't have any problems."

Doctors at Blake Medical Center treated Fussell and sent him home on crutches Monday afternoon.

Fussell has been a Florida Highway Patrol trooper for 30 years. He was taking his biannual firearms qualification exam when he shot himself.

The Glock, Fussell's off-duty weapon, does not have a safety. The FHP's service weapon, the .40-caliber Berretta, does have a safety.

Goodwin said that in the 18 years he's given the exam, today's shooting was the first he'd seen.

"He was doing well," Goodwin said. "Those Glocks are just really tricky."

To qualify, law enforcement officers must shoot seven yards away from a target. They alternate shooting five to 10 shots at a time. Fussell had shot only eight or nine rounds before he began putting his gun away.

Fussell has passed every weapons qualification examination since he became a trooper. He's never fired his weapon at anyone, according to Capt. Carlos Vazquez. The FHP is investigating the shooting, but Vazquez said it appears to have been an accident.

Fussell shot himself before finishing the qualification exam, so he will have to retake it.

He said he doesn't think he'll be out of work for long. As for his retirement, he's considering a move to North Carolina.

[Eaker]

If you leave your finger on the trigger while pushing the gun into the holster, the holster will shove your finger back into the trigger.

Your finger should not be on the trigger unless you have something in your sights that you want to destroy.

Eaker

[Redbob]

"Those Glocks are just really tricky."

Yes indeedy:
When you pull the trigger, they SHOOT!

[Myrddin]

Your finger should not be on the trigger unless you have something in your sights that you want to destroy.

No disagreement here. Accidents happen when people become too familiar and inattentive. The light trigger pull on the Glock makes that inattention more likely to cause an unintended discharge.

[VERYProGun]

"Yep. Definitely a man's gun; not for the squeamish or fumble-fingered..."

I was just having a little fun with the TUG crowd...Glocks are fine weapons, I just can't resist an occasional zinger at the ugliest gun on earth.

VPG