Palestine firefighter injured in accidental handgun discharge

PALESTINE, Texas (KLTV) - A firefighter was injured when a handgun was accidentally discharged outside of a fire station Saturday morning.

At 10 a.m. on Dec. 3, emergency services responded to Palestine Fire Station #2 in reference to a reported accidental shooting, according to a release from the Palestine Police Department.

Officers arrived and found that a firefighter had been struck in a lower extremity by a single round from a handgun, the release said. Members of the Palestine Fire Department administered medical aid immediately following the incident, and the firefighter was transported to a Palestine emergency room, according to police. The firefighter is stable and expected to recover.

Witnesses stated that a member of the department was outside of the station showing another firefighter a new handgun when it discharged, striking their co-worker in the leg, the release said. The handgun had reportedly been stored in the personal vehicle of the firefighter prior to the incident.

The Palestine Police Department is investigating the incident, and the PFD employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

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