Probationary Police Officers Under Scrutiny Over In-Vehicle Shooting Incident
A unique court case has reached its initial resolution. A 28-year-old law enforcement officer was found guilty by the Augsburg Regional Court for discharging his service weapon during a water fight on a police bus, causing potentially harmful physical injuries and property damage. The judge handed him a probation sentence of one year and eight months.
The bullet came close to hitting a fellow officer in the police bus and smashed a window. Four officers aboard the bus experienced shockwave injuries.
Initially, the man struggled to explain why he had pulled the trigger and suggested that his automatic response could be due to his extensive firearms training during his service. However, the court found this explanation unconvincing and sided with the prosecution's argument.
Risk of losing police career
The defense had pleaded for a probation sentence shorter than one year, if granted, would enable the young man to maintain his career in law enforcement. However, a prison term exceeding one year leads to dismissal from the force, according to a court representative. The verdict is still subject to appeal, with both sides having a week to challenge it.
Despite his argument that his firearms training might have caused an automatic response, the court deemed it unconvincing due to the potential hazards of discharging a weapon in such a situation. The gun incident could potentially jeopardize the officer's continued service in law enforcement, given that a prison term exceeding one year leads to dismissal from the force.
