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FIRST ON WITN: Trooper Injured At Firing Range

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Posted: 3:37 PM Aug 6, 2008
Last Updated: 6:12 PM Aug 6, 2008
Reporter: Bill Wilson

32 comments

A | A | A

A state trooper was injured this afternoon while taking a course at Beaufort Community College.

It happened on the school's firing range.

College president Dave McLawhorn says the trooper was taking part in a combat course shooting still targets when a ricochet hit him.

Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Everett Clendenin says the injuries are non-life threatening and resulted in a cut on the trooper's face.

He says as a precautionary measure the trooper was taken to a local hospital to be checked out.

McLawhorn says the troopers were wearing eye protection and bullet proof vests, and that it appeared all safety measures were being utilized.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Sergeant Striker Location: NC on Aug 11, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Lady the deadfish was just polite. He has shown a classy demeanor to NOT offend anyone much less a lady. He might not be grammar teacher but his grammar comments are right on target. I agree with his statement that range accidents are due to safety violations love him or hate him.

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 10, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Why would you assume i am a sir? Can't women have the same thoughts as men, if not smarter thoughts THAN men? And what are you some grammer school teacher? People make mistakes yes...but apparently everyone but you does because it seems to me that you must be pretty darn perfect...what's it like?

Posted by: deadfish Location: nc on Aug 10, 2008 at 04:24 AM
Anonymous: Nice try, no cigar. I did NOT call anybody an idiot, Sir. Assuming you know what happened(BIG IF?) why don't you tell us what happened, HUM? I have shot from several ranges and several weapons INCLUDING indoors. Guess what? NOT a single accident ever happened. Honestly I don't know how tough the trooper school is. I can name you a few military schools that are very tough. The Marine Corps DI school is one of the toughest. BTW check your grammar: "tougher then" is incorrect. How about tougher THAN? Also check your punctuation. Thats is incorrect but that's it is NOT, OK? Again accidents happen when safety rules are broken. If I speed on a rainy day my chances to crash are pretty good. It doesn't take a Sir Isaac Newton to figure that out. I think you would agreed with that since that is supposedly your area of expertise. Thank you

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 9, 2008 at 10:22 PM
hey deadfish, do you know that i grew up military and married military and now a trooper and know troopers that were marines and they said trooper school was MUCH MUCH MUCH tougher then any military school?? So don't tell me anything about that...and to answer your question about pot belly marines, i dunno where you live but there are a lot of pot belly marines where i am... thank you for serving our country but dont treat me like an idiot, there was no safety rule broken...you don't know anything unless you were there...PERIOD!!! Now thats the end of the story

Posted by: deadfish Location: nc on Aug 9, 2008 at 06:57 PM
ozone: It is my business because I pay taxes. Secondly there is freedom of speech in this country. Thirdly I wore a military uniform for over twenty years to defend that right that you have to express your poor opinion>touché! noway: Like I told ozone this is a FREE country there are NO restrictions for anybody to express their opinions, OK? Furthermore they chose to be troopers as their career. So what if they have to qualify and train yearly; big deal. Every Marine has to qualify with the rifle and and pistol NOT to mention a tough PT test that includes a three mile run. You don't see pot belly Marines like some troopers around do you? Back to the issue at hand: Range accidents happen when safety rules are broken: PERIOD>: FACT>END OF THE STORY. Thank you

Posted by: noway on Aug 9, 2008 at 04:21 PM
None of you are aware of what really happened. Are you a trooper or a family member of a trooper??? No I dont think so, well I am and I can tell you that you are all wrong!!!! Every trooper in this area has to go through yearly training to keep them up to date and to make sure firearms work properly. They do this to make sure they can daily "protect and serve" You are all a bunch of idiots. They are out there every day protecting you and making our roads safe. We are all adults and its time we all start acting like it. If you don't know the details dont assume...you know what that does...

Posted by: Mike on Aug 9, 2008 at 02:26 PM
I know pass a new law.....No firearms for law enforcement....That seems to be the answer for everything else..

Posted by: ozone Location: belhaven on Aug 9, 2008 at 01:57 PM
Where was the trooper standing? Deadfish this is the type of question that is none of your business--furthermore lets let the supervisors at the range address any safety issues and you take a break and quit trying to be someone by sitting in your living room typing and gripping--Lets just be glad everyone is ok and address the safety problems if one indeed existed--thanks

Posted by: deadfish Location: nc on Aug 8, 2008 at 05:15 PM
Sarah: Were you in the military? Can you back-up your statement(s)? I did NOT say that the trooper:"any less then a cop". NO, he is NOT less [(THAN)(CORRECT!, NOT then)] a cop. DK: By your own description or recreation that is WHY there is a safe distance to prevent what happened. I don't buy your "things happened "argument" and NOBODY should. Range safety officers control discipline and safety on their ranges. It is their jobs to enforce that. That is WHY I am so critical of this situation. I am NOT after blood. I am also sick and tired of hearing things do happen and the look the other way attitude instead of addressing safety when live ammo is used. People face the issues: Safety and discipline must prevail on any range unless you want injuries that as tax payers you will be footing the ER bills. Again I ask where was that trooper standing when he got shot and WHY? Those are legitimate questions: PERIOD. Thank you

Posted by: DK Location: Greenville on Aug 8, 2008 at 12:42 PM
Bullets fragment. Once the bullet hits the target, parts bounce off into another direction, sometimes hitting something else and causing a second ricochet. Sometimes things just happen out of your control no matter what your background of skill level is. Thats just the way it is. I dont know why some of you are out for blood on this matter.

Posted by: Sarah Location: Springlake, NC/Creswell, NC on Aug 8, 2008 at 09:11 AM
Ok, what if this bullet hit an innocent by-stander? Well, accidents do happen and this was one of them. We cannot say this cop was any less then a cop over this incident but I do think things like this happen. heck, it happens all the time at the military bases but its so common you just don't hear it on tv daily.

Posted by: deadfish Location: nc on Aug 7, 2008 at 08:50 PM
concerned: Your statement is totally irrelevant and it is NOT connected to the subject we are discussing, PERIOD. To the usual suspects: 1. Where was the trooper standing when he got injured and WHY was he there? 2. Assuming he was standing at the firing line and away from the IMPACT(TARGETS) line then there isn't any he would have been shot NOT even by a ricocheting bullet. 3. To anyone interested let's recreate this and at the same time we play CSI having fun. 4.First let's use a harmless "bouncy" projectile like a tennis ball. 5.Then mark a round target in any wall. Here we go have someone stand a foot away from the wall at the same time three feet to the right and left of the target if you can get a second person.The tennis ball will be thrown to the target. If the person throwing the ball hits the target dead center the ball more than likely bounces perpendicularly.If it misses to the left or to the right of the target the chances of the ball hitting the bystander>GOOD!

Posted by: Susnshine Location: Washington on Aug 7, 2008 at 07:41 PM
So, Ummm Right..., have see how it important is to always check your weapon, and other's weapons and not take their word for what conditions a weapon is in. Assume that it does have live rounds it. But the best advise that I can give is the following: #1 Always listen and follow the directions of the Range Master. #2 If you don't know or remember, THEN ASK. #3 lEAVE THE HORSEPLAY BACK @ THE RANCH. kNOW THAT YOUR WEAPONS CAN CAUSE YOU TO HURT SOMEONE. Last of all, don't go on the Range like Rambo, and think you know it all. THere is a Sharp group of people that are running those ranges and they know what they are talking about. It is always about safety.

Posted by: concerned Location: washington on Aug 7, 2008 at 06:32 PM
I think we need to increase the pay for these cops, so maybe then we can hire some with a little common sense.....

Posted by: deadfish Location: NC on Aug 7, 2008 at 02:20 PM
Naive and denial all over again coming from the usual suspects. I have shot at several ranges from a .45 cal pistol to an M-60 machine gun during the day and at night and also with a gas mask on. I know what I'm talking about when it comes to discipline and safety in a range. As a result of that I never witnessed any accidents. These people making excuses think again. Furthermore if you are going to do any lawyering back it up as I have backed-up my criticism. Once more the accident was inexcusable: PERIOD... Thank you

Posted by: kdog Location: greenville on Aug 7, 2008 at 02:06 PM
I just love how everybody offers comments both positive and NEGATIVE with out knowing the facts of the situation.

Posted by: chris Location: windsor on Aug 7, 2008 at 11:22 AM
I failed to see the "obvious" safety violation, so I will wish the trooper well and glad no one was seriously injured.

POST EDITED, NO FLAMING!

Posted by: Ummm right... Location: Eastern NC on Aug 7, 2008 at 10:35 AM
I was in a class in Building 10 and right across the hallway was a BLET class. Guess what? They fired LIVE rounds into the wall of their classroom because no one checked the gun to see if it was loaded with blanks or live rounds. Oh yes, they are very safe there. And the only reason I know this little fact was because I was there. Basically, as with anything that happens in life, stuff happens. And sometimes people get hurt... nothing is wrapped in bubble wrap in the real world. People just need to get a grip.

POST EDITED

Posted by: sunshine Location: washington on Aug 7, 2008 at 07:04 AM
Well deadfish, You seem to have the attitude, that there was an OBVIOUS SAFETY VIOLATION were YOU there? The range officers treat this very seriously. They wouldn't hesitate to send someone home for being unsafe or playing around. I am not looking the other way and I am sure that none of the other officers that were on that range were either. Safety is the main thing on these officers' mind, they just want to go home at the end of the day. Try to look at the glass half full, might make you feel better.

Posted by: deadfish Location: nc on Aug 7, 2008 at 12:16 AM
People, what is wrong with ALL of you? OK with the well wishes>end. There was an obvious safety violation and ALL you care is to look the other way. If that is your attitude then this will happen again with worse results more than likely. Folks this is serious business get that through your heads... Thank you

Posted by: CCW holder Location: eastern NC on Aug 7, 2008 at 12:10 AM
If you have ever taken part in range exercises where steel targets are used, you would know that there is always a possibility that small pieces of metal can fly when hit by a hot and heavy round like a .40 caliber bullet. It sounds as if the officer was properly protected with appropriate equipment and the situation was handled as it should have been. If you aren't familiar with realistic range exercises, you should research "action pistol" or "IDPA" matches like those held at the Pitt County Wildlife Club. Best wishes to the Trooper!

Posted by: Ashley Location: Washington on Aug 6, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Hope you get better soon....Thanks for all u do.

Posted by: Sunshine Location: Washington on Aug 6, 2008 at 10:57 PM
This is one of the safest ranges I have ever used. Top notch firearms instructors also. Accidents sometimes do happen, even to those that are used to practicing safety. That is why we wear eyes, ears, bullet proof vests and reflective vest. Just glad everyone is going to be OK.

Posted by: ken Location: washington on Aug 6, 2008 at 10:23 PM
beatiful!!! great job...lol

Posted by: Chad Location: Belhaven on Aug 6, 2008 at 09:53 PM
Praying for a speedy recovery--Thanks for all you do...

Posted by: deadfish Location: nc on Aug 6, 2008 at 09:36 PM
There is NOT any excuse for this incident:PERIOD. The range officer MUST be held responsible. It is obvious somebody shot when he wasn't supposed to. Accidents happen when safety rules are NOT followed>that simple. I spent over twenty years in the military and I did NOT hear of a single accident. Everytime I turn around the NC HP is involved in a negative story. Leadership starts at the top.

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 6, 2008 at 09:22 PM
he should of been somewhere hiding behind a tree seeing if anyone was speeding so he could give out a citation

Posted by: Thankful Location: Washington on Aug 6, 2008 at 08:44 PM
Glad to hear he is ok.And THANK YOU to all law enforcement officers who protect us daily.To Ted...I'm sure the State requires them to train in "FULL" P.P.E.(personal protective equipment)at all times.

Posted by: Concerned Citizen Location: Greenville on Aug 6, 2008 at 08:01 PM
Ted ... they more then likely were conducting some sort of training operation where its not uncommon for officers to swept each other with loaded guns. Plus when training you need to wear the gear that you will have on when shooting.

Posted by: Ted Location: Greenville on Aug 6, 2008 at 04:55 PM
Glad to hear the Trooper is OK. But bulletproof vests on the firing range? Heck all we get are safety glasses and ear protection. I'm pretty sure a .40 cal round will sale right through either of those.

Posted by: sunshine Location: washington, nc on Aug 6, 2008 at 04:38 PM
Hope he is doing well. to him, "Thank you for what you do each and every day!"

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