An Airsoft pistol, at left, and a real Glock pistol, at right.
Sheriff Bart Heslington.
PARIS — A Bear Lake County sheriff’s deputy was injured when he accidentally shot himself late last month at the courthouse, according to Sheriff Bart Heslington.
The incident happened on March 29 in the Sheriff’s Office dispatch center at the Bear Lake County Courthouse and was accidental, the sheriff said.
Heslington provided the following description of the incident in a Monday news release: “One of the Sheriff’s Office personnel, while inspecting a training pistol, discharged his own service weapon causing an injury to himself. Nobody else was injured and the deputy’s injury was not of a serious nature. There was little damage to the dispatch center.”
The sheriff’s news release did not identify the wounded deputy by name but it confirmed several days of speculation about the incident in the community.
Sources within Bear Lake County government have said the shooting occurred while several deputies and Sheriff’s Office staff members were in the dispatch center examining and handling a newly acquired Airsoft-type pistol.
The non-lethal but realistic looking pistol had been acquired for use in training scenarios.
One of the deputies holstered the Airsoft-type pistol and then reholstered his service pistol, sources said.
A short time later this deputy unholstered his service pistol and fired the weapon, apparently mistaking it for the non-lethal Airsoft-type pistol, said county sources.
The bullet fired from the deputy’s service pistol struck him in the foot, the sources said.
The bullet then ricocheted around the dispatch center but did not wound anyone else.
The deputy received medical attention for his injured foot and as of last week was apparently back on duty with the Sheriff’s Office.
Until Monday’s news release, Bear Lake County authorities would not release any information about the incident.
But word of the shooting soon spread throughout the county and Bloomington Mayor Roy Bunderson was among those who pushed the county to explain what had happened.
Heslington said that he and the county’s attorney have fully investigated the incident.
“Upon interviewing those present and the deputy involved, it became clear that the discharge was accidental,” Heslington said in his Monday news release. “I have also addressed this matter with the deputy involved and the necessary remedial and disciplinary actions have been taken. Also, as per our policy, I have taken and continue to take the necessary remedial measures to prevent a future occurrence and to ensure the continued safety of Sheriff’s Office personnel.”
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