Child fires officer's handgun while in holster; Lodi cop hurt

KCRA 3 — Police in Lodi are trying to figure out how an officer was shot with his own handgun while it was still in the holster.

The shooting took place during a community event Aug. 24, according to a news release from the Lodi Police Department.

The officer -- a member of the police department’s SWAT team -- was showing tactical equipment to children when a boy walked up behind the cop and pulled the trigger, police said.

The officer suffered minor injuries while the child ran away.

Lodi investigators want to talk with the boy, so they can prevent incidents like this in the future -- and understand how it could have happened.

The boy is about 6 to 8 years old, police estimate.

"This should have never happened, especially in an environment where children were present," Lodi Police Chief Mark Helms wrote in a prepared statement. "As peace officers, we have a responsibility to the public to ensure our weapons and equipment are properly safeguarded. We’re fortunate this event didn’t result in a tragedy." continue reading...