Fortunately, this story has a happy ending in that the 14-year old kid that got shot will recover from his wounds. But the combination of an allegedly vacant apartment, an off-duty police officer working a second job as a security guard, and some careless handling of his weapon could have ended in tragedy.
Police said two off-duty officers were working at the Woodridge apartment complex, in the 9600 block of Southall Road, when they went to investigate a report of people inside a vacant apartment. According to police, one of the officers said he saw someone come out on the balcony. He told police that he "was pointing the weapon in the direction of the balcony" when "his weapon discharged accidentally," the department said in a statement.
Police spokesman Cpl. John Wachter said the teen was hit in the shoulder. He was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital, and has been released, according to a hospital spokesperson. The boy's family could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Wachter said the department has not released the boy's name because he might be charged for being in the vacant building.
The officer, whose name has not been released, will be placed on administrative duty while the department investigates. The Baltimore County state's attorney's office is expected to review the investigation.
So the worst thing this kid was doing was trespassing in a vacant building? And if you're a trained police officer, how do you 'accidentally' discharge your weapon while aiming it at a kid?
