CCTV Kentucky police officer accidentally shoots himself in front of wife after fumbling with gun in elevator

Elevator security camera footage released Monday shows a Northern Kentucky police officer fumbling with his work-issued firearm moments before shooting himself in the stomach.

In video released by Cincinnati police, off-duty Erlanger cop Darryl Jouett is seen entering an elevator at the Mercer Commons Parking Garage in Over-The-Rhine at about 8:30 p.m. Friday night after having dinner with his wife.

When the elevators' doors close Jouett pulls his .40 caliber semiautomatic handgun out of its holster and appears to try and re-holster it.

Jouett almost drops the weapon when it gets tangled in his coat. The gun fires into the elevator door as he tries to catch it.



A bullet then ricochets and hits Jouett in the stomach, according to Capt. Mike John, District 1 Commander for the Cincinnati Police Department.

In the footage, Jouett crumples to the ground. His wife pulls out her cellphone as she exits the elevator and then re-enters. Jouett is eventually able to leave the elevator with his wife’s assistance.

Jouett was conscious and alert when medics and Cincinnati police arrived on scene. He was transported to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Ed Bridgeman, a retired police officer with 35 years experience, watched the security camera footage and critiqued what may have went wrong for Jouett.

"It's something you should probably give a little more attention to," said Bridgeman, who is now the head of the criminal justice program at The University of Cincinnati's Clermont campus."It looks like he was carrying on a conversation. "He was juggling with the box and then he was obviously juggling with the firearm."

On Monday, the Erlanger officer told WCPO he was at home and on the mend. He said he was instructed to not talk about the incident.

Jouett has more than 25 years of law enforcement experience with Erlanger.


Source : WCPO , NY Daily News , DailyMail

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