LMPD says instructor accidentally shot police recruit during training

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville Metro Police officer is on administrative leave after discharging his weapon, hitting a recruit, during a training exercise.

It happened just after 3 p.m. Friday in a building near the Firearms Facility on Algonquin Parkway. LMPD released a statement about three hours later, calling it "a serious training failure."

According to a statement from the department, the firearms instructor "discharged his weapon, and a bullet struck a recruit during a training exercise."

Police said the recruit was hit in his bullet resistant vest and "appeared to sustain minor injuries" but was taken to University Hospital "as a precaution."

"Even if you know the gun is unloaded, you still treat it as if it's loaded," said Marlan Ingram.

Ingram is the director of training at Openrange gun range in Oldham County. He said anyone using a gun should be following the universal gun safety rules: treat the gun as if it is loaded, point it in a safe direction given the current environment, and keep your finger off the trigger.

"If you follow these rules, you can handle firearms from the beginning to very advanced and not have an issue, but when you are lax in these rules, issues show up," Ingram said.

In a statement, LMPD said "Although the discharge appears to be accidental, LMPD recognizes this incident as a serious training failure, and it is swiftly being addressed."

"We don't call them accidental discharge we call the negligent discharge," Ingram said. "That means that someone neglected to follow the safety rules, the firearm and lessons deemed to be defective."

Just this week, training was highlighted as a major problem for LMPD by the U.S. Department of Justice. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the department needs to provide clear policies and consistent training.

"Louisville Metro and LMPD have also failed to provide police officers and other with the support and resources they need to do their jobs effectively and lawfully. Our investigation uncovered deficient training," Garland said.

Ingram said if it's not a defective gun, then it was a negligent discharge.

"If it (a defective gun) is not the problem, it's not the fault of the firearm. It's the person holding it," Ingram said.

The officer has been put on administrative leave, which is standard protocol for the department.

LMPD's Public Integrity Unit is handling the investigation.

No other information was immediately available.