Rhode Island police sergeant injures two Massachusetts officers after accidentally firing his gun at the funeral of a cop who was shot dead in the line of duty
By Emily Crane
Daily Mail
August 2, 2018
Two Massachusetts police officers were injured when a Rhode Island officer's gun accidentally discharged at the funeral of a cop who was shot dead in the line of duty.
Cranston Police Sgt. Michael Patnaud fired his gun soon after he was part of the honor guard at the funeral for Weymouth Police Sgt. Michael Chesna on July 20.
Authorities said Patnaud was removing his gun from his holster to change out of his honor guard uniform on a bus just outside the Blue Hill Cemetery in Braintree following the funeral.
He accidentally dropped his gun and it fired when Patnaud tried to catch it.
Two female officers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were struck by debris after the gun fired.
'It became apparent that a round had been discharged inside the bus and struck the ground near the MIT officers,' a police report stated. 'The impact sent debris up, striking the officers.'
One of the officers was hit in the hand, while the other was struck just above the eye. Both of the injured officers declined medical treatment.
Braintree Police Chief Paul Shastany told the Patriot Ledger that holsters on honor guard uniforms are not designed for 'street wear' and are different to the everyday holsters.
Shastany added that he had not disclosed the incident earlier because an ongoing investigation.
No charges have been filed against Patnaud and he remains on duty.
The incident took place at the funeral of the Weymouth police officer who was shot dead on July 15.
Chesna had been investigating reports of an erratic driver and car crash near the end of his overnight shift.
The man suspected of killing him, Emmanuel Lopes, allegedly threw a large rock at the officer, grabbed his gun and repeatedly shot him with it.
Lopes also is also charged with killing a 77-year-old bystander, Vera Adams.
He has pleaded not guilty.
1 comment:
I am unclear as to why it is necessary to unholster a weapon in order to change uniforms, unless the dress uniform holster is different from the duty holster.
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