Yup it’s a twofer: a Passively Constructed Negligent Discharge Story of the Day and an Irresponsible Gun Owner of the Day all in one. The media part of the story comes to us without the slightest editorial hesitation from fox6now.com, starting with the headline: Gun accidentally discharges inside of Froedtert Hospital, deputy suspended. We’ll get to that unnamed deputy in a mo. “A person with a legal concealed carry permit brought a gun inside of [Milwaukee’s] Froedtert Hospital Friday, June 27th, but when a deputy tried to confiscate the weapon, it accidentally went off.” I guess it wanted to stay with its owner. Some guns are like that. The JRR Tolkein-esquely-named hospital confirms that . . .
a patient brought a gun inside of the hospital, and the hospital does not allow firearms inside of the building. The patient mentioned he had the weapon on him, and that’s when deputies were notified to confiscate the firearm.
Officials say the firearm discharged as the deputy attempted to clear the weapon, and the bullet struck a wall. No one was struck or injured, and the only people present in the exam room were the two deputies and the patient.
Two deputies? Both named unnamed, apparently. One of which is in deep doo-doo, if the sheriff’s ire isn’t just for the cameras and doesn’t have to pass police union muster.
Sheriff Clarke is upset about the incident and very apologetic to the staff of Froedtert Hospital.
A press release says that Sheriff David Clarke ordered a criminal investigation into the discharge of the weapon by the deputy, and it will be reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office.
“Attempting to clear a firearm in a hospital examination room is unimaginable, rising to the level of recklessness. We don’t train this way in the handling of our own firearms. Fortunately, nobody was struck,” said Clarke. “However, this lack of awareness by this deputy is serious enough to pursue a charge of Recklessly Endangering Safety. This is intolerable.”
Would that be First- or Second-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety? In either case, what are the odds it’ll be walked down to a disciplinary action of some sort. And the Deputy’s name will be kept out of it. Because police.