Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Officer injured in freak shooting

Gurdon Police Officer, Andy Williams, was recently injured during a training exercise at the Police Training Academy in Camden.

Williams was attending the academy to perfect the skills he already knows as an officer and to get his certification.

During the several weeks officers at the academy must go through different drills and scenarios.

One particular exercise involves the officers running with their weapon and stopping abruptly to raise the weapon and fire if needed.

This exercise helps the officer learn how to handle a situation if someone runs and needs to be stopped.

Officer Williams was running the exercise just as everyone else. He had his spare bullets in his pocket and his gun loaded.

Williams was running the course when he suddenly heard what he thought to be a gunshot. He immediately noticed his pants leg had been blown off and his leg was hurting.

Williams first thought someone behind him had accidentally shot their gun and hit Williams in the leg. They soon found that to be untrue so Williams thought maybe his own weapon had discharged.

After checking everything out Williams realized the loose bullets in his pants pocket had somehow discharged, hitting Williams in the upper thigh.

Luckily Williams was not seriously injured, although he was taken to the emergency room in Camden to have a few pieces of shrapnel removed from his leg. Williams immediately returned to the Academy to continue his training.

However, the hulls have been sent to Remington, the maker of the shells, to find out why they were so sensitive.