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Fla. officer fired after shooting driver in leg while trying to remove his gun from holster

After a traffic stop, the man informed officers that he had a handgun in the side of his waistband; he complied as the officer tried to remove it, unintentionally firing it in the process

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        JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —An officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has been terminated following an incident in which she unintentionally discharged a driver’s firearm, injuring him during a traffic stop, CBS News reported.

        According to an internal affairs report, Officer Shaun Lowry initiated the stop after the man was observed running a red light. The driver, described as cooperative, informed Lowry he was legally carrying a firearm, according to the report.

        As the driver complied with instructions to exit the vehicle, Officer Mindy Cardwell, who was assisting the traffic stop, attempted to remove the weapon — a Glock .45 semi-automatic pistol — from his waistband holster, body camera video shows. The internal investigation revealed that Cardwell, using her non-dominant hand, unintentionally placed pressure on the firearm’s trigger, causing it to discharge into the man’s right leg.

        The driver told investigators that Cardwell appeared to “jerk” the weapon repeatedly, which contributed to the unintentional discharge, according to the report. Cardwell later stated that the holster was tight and difficult to remove.

        Body camera footage released by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office shows the moments following the discharge. Officers Lowry and Austin Weippert expressed shock, radioed for assistance and applied first aid, including a tourniquet to the driver’s leg.

        Cardwell also assisted with first aid efforts. The man was transported to a hospital in stable condition but later reported that the injury had impacted his ability to operate heavy equipment for his job, according to the report.

        The incident prompted an internal affairs investigation, leading to a charge of incompetence against Cardwell and her subsequent dismissal.

        The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has since implemented a new policy prohibiting officers from seizing firearms from individuals who are lawfully carrying them during traffic stops, according to the report.

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        Joanna Putman is an Associate Editor and newswriter at Police1, where she has been covering law enforcement topics since August 2023. Based in Orlando, Florida, she holds a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent two years working in nonprofit local newsrooms, gaining experience in community-focused reporting. Married to a law enforcement officer, she works hard to highlight the challenges and triumphs of those who serve and protect. Have a news tip? Email her at news@lexipol.com