JSO: Driver hurt after gunshot during traffic stop

JSO is investigating a traffic stop gone wrong after a man was shot by his own weapon.

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At around 5 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop after a car ran a red light.

Upon stopping, the driver of the vehicle told the officer that he had a gun in his waistband. The officer then asked the driver to step out of the vehicle.

According to JSO, when the officer tried to reach for the gun, it discharged on the driver and struck him in the leg.

“...the way I understand it is that the firearm was in a holster, but it was inside the waistband, it was not an exterior holster, and the officer was attempting to remove the firearm," said Michael Paul, JSO Commander of Specialized Investigations. “[We are] not sure how the gun was discharged, but as she was removing the holster from inside the waistband, the firearm discharged.

The officer and a backup officer applied first aid to the driver, who was shortly transported to a nearby hospital.

According to Paul, the event is not being considered a police shooting, but rather an ‘incident’.

“...it’s not considered a police shooting or an officer-involved shooting, it’s just an incident where an individual was injured while in the custody of the sheriff’s office,” said Paul.

JSO says that the driver may face a civil traffic violation, but will not face any charges.

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