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By Jason Miles - bio | email | Twitter | Facebook
MEMPHIS, TN (WMC-TV) - A Memphis Police Department recruit was accidently shot in the arm by an instructor during a training exercise Tuesday at the Police Training Academy.
"This is a misfortunate accident during the training," Deputy Chief Joe Scott said during a news briefing.
The accidental shooting happened during a drill meant to teach recruits how to draw a weapon using their non-shooting hand. Something went wrong as one of two instructors demonstrated the maneuver.
"The firearm discharged, striking one recruit in the left wrist," Scott said.
Normally, the weapons are unloaded during this particular type of drill, but somehow, a live round ended up in one of the guns.
"There's supposed to be no ammunition inside the weapon," said Scott.
Chopper 5, the Mid-South's only news helicopter, was over the police academy as the injured recruit was loaded onto an ambulance and transported to The MED. Investigators say each individual is responsible for clearing ammunition from his or her own weapon before the drill.
Experts at Range USA say you should assume all weapons are loaded, even when you feel certain they are not. It's something detectives say never caused a problem at the police academy, until now.
The recruit was released from The MED late Tuesday. The instructor who shot him is on leave pending the outcome of an investigation.
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