Cop accidentally fires gun in police box

CHIGASAKI, Kanagawa -- A police officer accidentally shot a closet while examining his firearm at a police box here on Monday, police said.

At around 12:45 a.m. on Monday, a 46-year-old sergeant was examining his gun at a police box in Chigasaki when he mistakenly pulled the trigger, local police said, firing a bullet was fired into the wall inside a closet.

The sergeant and four of his family members, who were in the police box's living quarters, were not injured in the incident.

A representative of a local police station said,"We'll step up training on gun handling to try and prevent a recurrence."

拳銃誤射：駐在所の巡査部長、点検中に…けが人なし

　１１日午前０時４５分ごろ、神奈川県茅ケ崎市東海岸南２の県警茅ケ崎署東海岸駐在所１階居間で、駐在所勤務の男性巡査部長（４６）が拳銃を点検中に誤って引き金をひき、弾丸１発が押し入れのベニヤ板にめりこんだ。駐在所には巡査部長のほか家族４人がいたが、けが人はなかった。

　調べでは、巡査部長は左手で持ったホルスターに、拳銃を右手で入れようとした際、誤って引き金をひいたという。栃木県警の警察官が交番で拳銃自殺を図ったニュースをテレビで見て、拳銃を確認しようと思い立ったらしい。茅ケ崎署の野添義秀副署長は「拳銃の取り扱いの指導を徹底し、再発防止を図りたい」と話した。【内橋寿明】

Mainichi

February 12, 2008