Plano officer shoots suspect trying to activate light

[MojoTexas]

"A Plano narcotics sergeant intended to activate a flashlight affixed to his service weapon when he accidentally pulled the trigger, fatally shooting a drug suspect in a Far North Dallas parking lot last month, the officer told investigators in this statement. "

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archive ... nt-to.html

[Oldgringo]

What can you say after you've said, "oops, sorry".

[CainA]

Kinda reminds me of the scene in Pulp Fiction...oops!

-Cain

[Excaliber]

"A Plano narcotics sergeant intended to activate a flashlight affixed to his service weapon when he accidentally pulled the trigger, fatally shooting a drug suspect in a Far North Dallas parking lot last month, the officer told investigators in this statement. "

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archive ... nt-to.html

The most obvious potential cause here would be having the trigger finger inside the trigger guard when grappling with a suspect. If the support hand executed a strong gripping motion, the "wiring" of the human nervous system makes it a virtual certainty that a similar involuntary hand contraction would occur on the strong hand side, as has been repeatedly documented in many incidents over the years. The strength of this contraction would be more than enough to activate the trigger (around 50 lbs. of force in an adult male).

The second possibility is that this negligent discharge appears similar in some respects to the one in California several months ago where a BART transit officer discharged his handgun into the back of a prone handcuffed suspect. In that case, the officer stated he intended to draw and discharge his taser, but inadvertently drew and fired his gun instead. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Mistaking a gun for a taser may sound implausible to those who have not had to execute multiple critical tasks during a struggle with a suspect. Having been there a time or two, it doesn't stretch my credulity at all.

In the BART case, the officer had received far more training in firing his handgun than his taser, and the taser holstering system setup on his duty rig was arranged so that both the taser and the handgun would be manipulated by the same hand. The hand functions for drawing and firing both were the same. Under the stress of a struggle, while his mental decision was to draw and fire the taser, the hand assigned to that task performed the more dominant function instilled by training - drawing and firing the handgun.

I suspect a similar sequence of events may have happened in the Plano case, if the officer's statements about his intent are true. In the article, the officer stated that he had no intention of firing his handgun, and no intent to place his finger inside the trigger guard. However, his department had recently issued him a Surefire X300 weapon light with an activation mechanism that he described as located under the trigger guard instead of on the grip, as his previous weapon light switch had been. The only configuration I can find in the Surefire X300 accessory that would match this description is the single frontstrap mounted switch option.. (The full range of accessory options can be seen here.)

Here we have a newly issued piece of equipment that requires a different mode of operation from similar gear the officer was much more familiar with, and a light activation switch that is turned on with rearward pressure applied just under the trigger guard. This switch is designed to be activated by the middle finger on the frontstrap. However, under the stress of a struggle, I can easily see how a decision to execute this brand new and not repeatedly practiced maneuver could result in an officer executing the mechanically similar and very heavily practiced maneuver of pulling the trigger with the trigger finger. This would be especially easy if both factors were in play - a trigger finger already in the trigger guard and a hand squeeze to activate the light that causes a contraction of the trigger finger as well.

I am not privy to details of the Plano investigation, and I cannot make valid judgments on what did or did not happen during the tragic event sequence during an arrest. However, I think there is value in exploring the potential mechanisms and contributing factors that may have come into play here because, whether they did or did not contribute to the tragedy in this most recent case, they most certainly can and have done so in other incidents in the past. Awareness of these possibilities may help some of our members make good equipment selection, training, and planned procedure choices and avoid a similar tragedy in the future.

[MojoTexas]

One thing to note, they never did mention if the guy was carrying heroin or not.

[KC5AV]

single frontstrap mounted switch option..

Wow, that seems like a spectacularly bad design.

[TrueFlog]

I like how the DMN article is titled "Gun-mounted flashlight blamed in fatal Plano police shooting", because clearly the flashlight pulled the trigger.

[gigag04]

This is sad for all involved.


All the training I have recieved says that a gun light is a supplement for a handheld light. When I clear a bldg, or need to illuminate someone, I use my small streamlight, even of my weapon is drawn. Also only use my non trigger hand to activate the light (TLR-1s).


We had an email sent out about it from the train/rec dept re-emphasizing
this.

[MojoTexas]

This is sad for all involved.


All the training I have recieved says that a gun light is a supplement for a handheld light. When I clear a bldg, or need to illuminate someone, I use my small streamlight, even of my weapon is drawn. Also only use my non trigger hand to activate the light (TLR-1s).


We had an email sent out about it from the train/rec dept re-emphasizing
this.

I've never been tempted to buy a weapon-mounted light. I keep a Mag-Light in my pickup, and small LED tactical flashlight by the bed. If I want to illuminate something, I will use a flashlight. If I want to stop a threat, I'll use a firearm. If I need to use both at the same time...that's why God gave me two hands. I don't like the idea of using a weapon-mounted flashlight because the only thing you SHOULD be illuminating is a target you intend to destroy. Illuminating anything else with a weapon-mounted flashlight is "sweeping" in my book and leads to tragedies like this.

Just my opinion of course.

MojoTexas

[sjfcontrol]

single frontstrap mounted switch option..

Wow, that seems like a spectacularly bad design.

No kidding! About the only way it could be worse is if it was attached to the front of the trigger itself! A little pressure gets light, more pressure gets a BANG!

[Excaliber]

One thing to note, they never did mention if the guy was carrying heroin or not.

Even if he was, it wouldn't have constituted justification for the shoot.

[Excaliber]

single frontstrap mounted switch option..

Wow, that seems like a spectacularly bad design.

In and of itself, I don't agree. The same switch location is used on the best Crimson Trace laser grips and other similar devices with no documented issues that I am aware of. These devices are intended to be activated by a firm grip on the handgun which does not include movement of the trigger finger.

I suspect that some combination of violations of Rules 1 and 3 and the symmetrical hand clench phenomenon are bigger factors here.

[sjfcontrol]

single frontstrap mounted switch option..

Wow, that seems like a spectacularly bad design.

In and of itself, I don't agree. The same switch location is used on the best Crimson Trace laser grips and other similar devices with no documented issues that I am aware of. These devices are intended to be activated by a firm grip on the handgun which does not include movement of the trigger finger.

I suspect that some combination of violations of Rules 1 and 3 and the symmetrical hand clench phenomenon are bigger factors here.

It appeared to me it was designed such that you squeeze with the trigger finger to fire, or the middle finger to turn on the light.

[Excaliber]

This is sad for all involved.


All the training I have recieved says that a gun light is a supplement for a handheld light. When I clear a bldg, or need to illuminate someone, I use my small streamlight, even of my weapon is drawn. Also only use my non trigger hand to activate the light (TLR-1s).

We had an email sent out about it from the train/rec dept re-emphasizing
this.

This is a far more sound practice.

When the light is mounted on the gun, there is a very strong temptation to use the gun as an illumination tool even when pointing a gun is not warranted. Sooner or later this results in the gun being pointed at things and people when there is no good reason to do so, thus inviting tragedy.

There are some situations where a light mounted gun make sense (e.g. high risk situation special response entry team), but using such a tool requires real discipline to properly manage its use under the less than ideal field conditions officers face every day.

[Excaliber]

single frontstrap mounted switch option..

Wow, that seems like a spectacularly bad design.

In and of itself, I don't agree. The same switch location is used on the best Crimson Trace laser grips and other similar devices with no documented issues that I am aware of. These devices are intended to be activated by a firm grip on the handgun which does not include movement of the trigger finger.

I suspect that some combination of violations of Rules 1 and 3 and the symmetrical hand clench phenomenon are bigger factors here.

It appeared to me it was designed such that you squeeze with the trigger finger to fire, or the middle finger to turn on the light.

That's exactly correct.

However, if one's finger is on the trigger or alongside the trigger guard instead of the frame to begin with, deliberately clenching the hand to turn on the light under the stress of an arrest struggle may cause involuntary movement of the trigger finger as well.