Child accidentally fires gun at crime prevention rally
By
KGNS News
Story Created:
Oct 4, 2011 at 10:57 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Oct 4, 2011
It's a yearly event designed to heighten crime prevention awareness and showcase the strides local law enforcement is making in our community, but at Tuesday’s National Night Out, an accidental discharge and according to officials, a young child pulled the trigger.
There are few details in the incident but we do know that the bullet pierced through the Laredo Police Department's Bomb Squad vehicle.
Gilberto Navarro, Assistant Police Chief, adds that all weapons are under the care and supervision of officers while on display and should have been inspected and made safe before setup.
Luckily, there were no injuries in the incident.
Law enforcement says the situation is still under investigation.
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StopTheMadness said on Wednesday, Oct 12 at 2:50 PM
The incident at the LEC Night Out was inexcusable, and the Chief needs to take responsibility in some way for what could have been a death of one of our citizens. From what I have learned of the Chief, I think he needs to go. It's obvious he encourages, by neglect, "sloppiness" in the force. Whe it comes to the death of "Chevy", the law is pretty clear. The City may have a lawsuit against the officer involved who, I understand, is heartbroken and overwhelmed with guilt at his errors. It wasn't a crime under the law, though. Once again, what safeguards has the Chief promulgated under his watch to ensure that overtired officers are checked on for their safety and those around them? I remember my Army days, where everyone was responsible for everyone. Why is that not the guiding principle at th eLaredo Police Department?
75191363Reader said on Wednesday, Oct 12 at 11:00 AM
BS, your manner of expressing yourself demonstrates to me that more educaton could have helped you express yourself in a more proficient and classy manner. Police officiers should be held to higher standards but do not forget that they place their own life for our safety. They also have to work to make a living to support themselves and their families. The legal system will address their mistakes and charges will be placed. BS and many like you need to understand and respect those in uniform.
75178006BS said on Tuesday, Oct 11 at 11:42 PM
If cops have mental and emotional little problems, is better for them to resign their position before killing a citizen due to their "stress problem". pero la chiche esta muy buena.
75156113op said on Tuesday, Oct 11 at 10:09 AM
Good point citizen, but your suggestions should have been implemented years ago if not already...it's standard. But it's Laredo. Been here nearly 15 years and it's still in a world of it's own.
75114621Citizen said on Tuesday, Oct 11 at 9:39 AM
Have you ever been on call-risk your life-see the violence,brutality and the dark side of life. I believe these cops may be too emotionally distressed,tired & fatigued that they can get careless. After fighting with the heroin addict,answering a call of a domestic distrubance & so many other situations, our officiers maybe burned out-tired and make mistakes. They should still be processed through the judicial system just like anyother citizen. I am suggesting that more training, stress management & better rotation of officiers in the field may correct the problems our officiers as dealing with on a daily basis.
75113011Tax Payer said on Monday, Oct 10 at 5:07 PM
to: stop with the bs already. well why don't we just fire all the cops that commit crimes instead of punishing them through the penal system just like everyone else for breaking the laws they are supposed to enfoece that's a bigger punishment... right? OF COURSE NOT!!! cops who break the law should be punished throught the penal sysstem not fire and forget the crime and victims like it never happened so they can go somewhere else and do the same thing all over again.
75077353Cruel said on Monday, Oct 10 at 3:46 PM
Exactly! When a citizen kills a police dog, it is almost as serious as killing a cop. This police officer needs to be prosecuted for negligent homicide. To care so little for a 7 year, highly valued partner, speaks volumes to the officer’s inability to perform his job in an acceptable manner.When will the charges of animal cruelty be filed against this criminal in uniform?There is an obvious double standard that comes with the thin blue line. Police officers are never, ever held accountable when they commit crimes. This is a clear case of criminally negligent homicide resulting in the death of a police officer. This bad cop should be in prison.
75073508stop with the bs already said on Monday, Oct 10 at 2:57 PM
to TAXPAYER: How is it that that officer did not pay for his crime? He's NOT an officer anymore, he was FIRED and is awaiting trial! What do you want, the death penalty for someone screwing up, just because he is an officer? THAT should apply to EVERYONE, then.
75070901Tax Payer said on Monday, Oct 10 at 12:10 PM
Laredo please all this should come as no surprise the Laredo PD always give themselves a break and lesser punishments they are not Laredo's finest they are laredo's corrupt. LOOK AT THIS: on the pro8 news search bar type OFF DUTY OFFICER LEADS FELLOW OFFICERS ON HIGH-SPEED CHASE and see the video this guy is out there working for Wakenhut a federal contractor for border patrol here in laredo carrying a gun transporting inmates in the white greyhound buses and vans he did not get punished for his crimes LAREDO'S FINEST?? yeah right anywhere else officers are held to the highest standard NOT HERE!!!!
75061973X-Laredo Onda said on Monday, Oct 10 at 9:51 AM
To: SAD BUT TRUE. The ASPCA/HS will not investigate the death of a working dog and to be MURDER, a motive must be established. If not established, it would be man-slaughter or in this case dog-slaughter.
75054108Viewer said on Sunday, Oct 9 at 3:04 PM
Police officier who left the bullet in the chamber of the gun is not only irresponsible but should be charged with the crime. We have alot of guns because my husband is a hunter but you know what they are secured in a safe and never would we leave a loaded gun accessible to anyone. I am disjusted with the police officier who endangered the public. I know if it had happened to me I would be charged with a crime and not ruled an "accident".
75019628The Police Department works for us said on Sunday, Oct 9 at 12:12 PM
The police departmet should never be allowed to dictate, they are in a PAID position to serve the public, they do not do it for free. They are our workers not our hitlers. Thay should be responsible for what they do and jail them or fired them when not serving the public.
75015268how many people were endangered?? said on Sunday, Oct 9 at 12:08 PM
How many people were in danger of injury or death?? Too many people were in a dangerous situation without being aware of it, That policeman must to be fired, The citizens of Laredo must NOT, and NEVER allowed a single policeman to endanger the public, Never again.
75015148kid said on Saturday, Oct 8 at 6:51 PM
Pro 8 News only waits for the blogs to dictate its next story. Might as well just broadcast Twitter feeds like CNN does. The coverage immediately following the incident was poor. It's embarrassing to have this happen to our police department, but I'm sure it'll be handled accordingly. I'm sure their administration is beside themselves just as much as we are. This is a reflection of them. As for the patrol unit going the wrong way, they CAN go the wrong way and they CAN speed. Stop finding dumb things to complain about.
74991271Los Dos Laredo's said on Saturday, Oct 8 at 3:06 PM
You really wanna see where your tax money is going? Read this Months Los Dos Laredo's..Nuff SAid
74985023blue friend said on Saturday, Oct 8 at 12:27 PM
That goes to show what kind of leadership you have at the laredo Police department. Some officers that dont suck up to the leadership get arrested, suspended and sometimes Fired for incidents with no victims and could have been handeled internally. In these two cases, a dog lost its life and an inocent bystander coulld have been hurt or killed. And they say that no charges will be filled. Come one Chief Maldonado and the rest of the chiefs. Why go after just certain Officers an not treat all the same.Shame on you chief Maldonado, By the way where are you? are you out of town again? And getting paid with tax payers money for not even being at work.Thats not right.. Pro 8 news I encourage you to investigate his time sheet if you are looking for a real good story.
74979938mom in charge said on Saturday, Oct 8 at 11:54 AM
1. Guns safety101: Always treat as loaded. 2. 102: Never allow any to touch your weapon! 3. 103: WHERE were the parents? oh, yeah .. probably getting a beer or a corn!
74978908love laredo said on Saturday, Oct 8 at 6:42 AM
unbelievable !!!! hope the kid didn't get hurt by the recoil. a 50cal is very loud.hope the parents took the kid to the hospital and had him checked out !! let the LPD pay the bill.whoever setup the weapons should get fired for being STUPID !!! LPD got very lucky the bullet went up and not into the crowd of people.next year lets leave SWAT out of this event !!! for the publics safty .
74967511SAD BUT TRUE said on Friday, Oct 7 at 8:59 PM
WHERE IS THE BLOG FOR THE DEATH OF THAT POOR ANIMAL THAT WAS "MURDERED"??? WHAT A SH...T HEAD!!!!! ASPCA AND HUMANE SOCIETY IN WASHINGTON HAVE BEEN CONTACTED !!!!!! YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM THEM!!!!!
74953016Lance said on Friday, Oct 7 at 7:03 PM
These firearms on display should have gun/trigger locks. Ironic that the police department has issued these locks to the public in the past.
74948453we see you said on Friday, Oct 7 at 6:17 PM
this does not suprise me last time i saw a patrol unit going the wrongway on san Dario street on a patrol chase going way over the speed limit what would of happen if he would of hit an other vehicle head on they are to protect and serve not put the public in danger
74946266Lance said on Friday, Oct 7 at 6:08 PM
The public, especially kids, has no business handling department firearms! A recipe for disaster and a great liability
74945788reporter said on Friday, Oct 7 at 6:06 PM
PD bought all the white-wash lowes and HD had to cover this and the dog killing up.
74945688Donna said on Friday, Oct 7 at 5:25 PM
Professional weapons training teaches you to always assume the gun is loaded. It also trains you not to treat the gun as a toy. When you hand a gun to another person, the chamber should be open so it is obvious there is not a bullet in it. This is the swat team. The most extensively trained Officers in the Department. I hate to attack this Officers, but it is a big deal. I agree, if the news media wants to do their job, they need to push for answers.
74943903Ron said on Friday, Oct 7 at 5:16 PM
8 news, do your job. Who authorized children to touch the weapons? Did the Chief know? Did the Commissioners know? If this was a private citizen, they would be in jail and investigated later. I feel sorry for the Officers, but this is a major deal and it is not being pushed by the media. Don't let one single Officer take the heat, find out who knew children would be touching the weapons and who authorized the weapons to be displayed in a way they could be handled.
74943453X-Laredo Onda said on Friday, Oct 7 at 7:23 AM
Dude, the victim was a truck.
74908863Mentally Challenged said on Thursday, Oct 6 at 9:25 PM
What about the victims,years of counseling therapy,nightmares.I see this as a criminal act. It should be punished as such. Did the victims get ear exams.gunshots are loud.
74896889jcw said on Thursday, Oct 6 at 6:52 PM
If a parent had left his gun loaded and the child fired it the parent would be pasted on the news and in jail. Way to go pro 8 news on helping cover the story up.
74891671X-Laredo Onda said on Thursday, Oct 6 at 12:36 PM
What do the Moran's have to do with this? I know them and they are good people. They weren’t even there! "Pssst dude, I think prevention meant MORONS not the Moran's." Sorry my bad. HeHeHeHe
74872322Double Standards said on Thursday, Oct 6 at 12:03 PM
Chief Maldonado puts out a policy that makes it mandatory to wear the police cap and vest. Why isn't Chief Navarro wearing his? Is he going to get reprimanded? Let's go Maldo, do something!
74870111Anonymous said on Thursday, Oct 6 at 11:12 AM
So when it happens to someone who's trained and certified to handle weapons its an unfortunate accident, but to someone trying to protect their home, it's a crime, and they get arrested. Where were their gun locks? And they're are the ones who give them out.
74866811prevention said on Wednesday, Oct 5 at 9:26 PM
And these morans are coming out on A & E!
74836918Anonymous said on Wednesday, Oct 5 at 2:19 PM
X-Laredo Onda...the Bomb-Squad truck isn't cooperating because it was a case because it still has to work with the SWAT truck. Both trucks will probably be put on admin duty until this is resolved. All silliness aside, there could have been body parts or bodies. MAJOR SNAFU.
74819248chill out said on Wednesday, Oct 5 at 1:59 PM
They need to do more training on the care and handling of a weapon. They can't even unload and check to see if they are unloaded. Lucky no one was injured or worse.
74818569X-Laredo Onda said on Wednesday, Oct 5 at 12:35 PM
Not to mention that a perfectly good Bomb-Squad truck was shot. I understand that the victim is currently recovering at a local body shop. However the victim is not cooperating with authorities as to the motive for the shooting incident. Detalles a las cinco
74813584OMG said on Wednesday, Oct 5 at 11:46 AM
This is an example of the lack of management of the police supervisors, no wonder we had people killed with tazers in the past. just plain stupid. LPD needs to focus in their own safety before trying to protect laredo from the violence.
74810242Anonymous said on Wednesday, Oct 5 at 11:09 AM
A CHILD fires a WEAPON at National Night Out?!!!! Can't Laredo get ANYTHING right??!!??!!
74808197op said on Wednesday, Oct 5 at 10:08 AM
ROF,LMBO. Oh My Gosh!! If someone had been injured, what officers would be in jail? The entire force? LOL!! Sooo glad nobody was hurt.
74803917Salma said on Wednesday, Oct 5 at 9:12 AM
really??? is this a joke?? thank God nobody was hurt. Stupid people, not the child, the adults.
74801299Where's Maldo? said on Wednesday, Oct 5 at 8:42 AM
Why didn't Chief Maldonado give the interview? Was he out of town again?Also, where were the tough questions Pro8? It was a 50 caliber weapon fired into the bomb squad by a child during National Night Out! Hope there is a follow-up story.
74800066X-Laredo Onda said on Wednesday, Oct 5 at 7:41 AM
Oooops! Not surprised. A firearm is only as dangerous as the IDIOT standing behind it. All weapons should be considered loaded until proven to be safe. Some lessons are harder learned than others. Laredo’s Finest??
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