An off-duty police officer in New York reportedly shot his young son by accident on Tuesday night while unloading his gun at home.
The New York Post reported on Wednesday that Jon Gigantiello, an officer with the Metropolitan Transit Authority, was at their home in Smithtown, N.Y. and unloading the gun when it suddenly fired, wounding his own hand and hitting his 3-year-old son.
The toddler was admitted to St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center before being moved to Stony Brook University Hospital for surgery. According to Newsday, police revealed that the boy suffered “grazing bullet wounds to his belly and arm” but was expected to survive.
Gigantiello, an 11-year veteran of the force who works in its K-9 unit, was also treated at Stony Brook University Hospital for his injuries. According to an MTA spokesman, Gigantiello is currently on sick leave.
“We are aware of the shooting incident involving the off-duty MTA Police Officer, which is being investigated by the Suffolk County Police Department,” said MTA spokesman Salvatore Arena. “The MTA PD Internal Affairs Bureau will investigate once the Suffolk PD completes its investigation.”
If you’re three and you’re dad’s a cop and he’s unloading his gun and it accidentally goes off, believe me you’re going to want to have a gun of your own.
Guns are safe.
The cop was just standing his ground. Have you ever met a three-year-old? I have, and believe me, being armed is the only real defense.
Thank the maker that his son is expected to be ok.
Now his dad can figure out what the F he’s doing wrong during the unloading process.
Man, that Eddie Eagle firearm safety awareness campaign really paid off, didn’t it? Seems like the #1 Ignored Firearm Safety Rule remains, “NEVER point your damn gun at anything or anyone you don’t want to get shot.”