Warren detective accidentally shoots self during training

WARREN, Mich. (WJBK) - A Warren detective accidently shot himself in the leg during routine training Monday.

The officer, a veteran with the force, is in stable condition. He's stable, alert, talking and expected to be OK.

It happened around 9:20 a.m. in the basement of the Warren police station, where they have a shooting range with about five lanes.

There were roughly 10 individuals down there for a routine training when police say he was holstering his gun when it somehow went off.

The bullet went through his outer thigh to the inner thigh.

"Luckily our officers were there," said Deputy Commissioner Matt Nichols, Warren police. "And had that controlled environment, and they knew exactly what to do, they immediately performed first aid. Got him in a patrol car, didn't even wait for an ambulance transported him to the hospital."

We're told the unidentified 47-year-old detective, a 22-year veteran with the department, discharged his gun while placing it back in his holster after a training exercise. The detective is expected to be ok, he's been alert and talking in the hospital while undergoing treatment.

"He's a squared away guy," Nichols said. "He's one of our go to guys One of the most friendly guys in the department."

Many local officers also train at the double action indoor shooting range in Madison heights.

Michael Allen, manager, Double Action Indoor Shooting range said "When they're doing a lot of high-speed in and out training you can have a tendency because you're focusing on engaging the target I'm pulling the trigger forgetting to take your finger back off. If they push their a gun back in the holster and their finger still on the trigger, it can still engaged."

Gun experts at Double Action Indoor Shooting Range say most officer-issued guns nowadays don't have safeties, and the triggers are made be not as sensitive.

"If they're applying too much pressure to the mechanism or too hopped up through adrenaline, they could cause it to engage and set it off," said Michael Allen, the manager.

Deputy commissioner Matt Nichols says the detective was the only one shooting at the time of the accident.

"Safety is always paramount for us," he said. "Especially when you have officers on the range. Live fire exercise. We're still trying to determine exactly where the breakdown was."

To his knowledge, Nichols said an accident like this has never occurred before at the department.