Off-Duty Otsego Deputy
Wounds Child, Woman
In Accidental Shooting
CAMDEN – An off-duty Otsego County Sheriff’s Deputy injured a child and a woman after accidentally discharging the loaded handgun he had in his pocket while dining at a Camden restaurant last night, according to Trooper Jack Keller, Troop D Public Information Officer.
The preliminary investigation reveals that the Deputy was seated at a table at the Grape and Grog Restaurant on Taberg Street in Camden when he accidentally discharged one round from a handgun stored in his pocket. According to Keller, the round exited through the bottom of his pocket, through his pants, and ricocheted off the concrete floor.
Keller said that a piece of the concrete broke off from the impact of the round and struck a female child in the right thigh and elbow, while another piece of concrete struck a 38 year old woman on her right foot. Both injuries were minor and treated by EMS at the scene.
Sheriff Richard J. Devlin Jr. said that the weapon involved was “not a department-issued” gun, and that the deputy has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the state police investigation. He will also face an internal review from the Sheriff’s Department.
The name of the deputy as not been released, and the investigation is ongoing.
This is abhorrent! If I did the same dangerous thing my name would be in print and easily found. He is incapable of owning and handling a gun safely. Fire him and he should no longer be able to own a gun. Peole could have been killed by his negligence. He was just lucky not to be facing negligent homicide charges. This must result in one less good guy with a gun.
It is not recommended to carry cell phones in pants pockets because of health issues with radiation. Also cell phones can fall out and be stolen or broken. Wallets ideally should also not be placed in rear pockets. Now we can add . . . Loaded revolvers ?! It may seem convenient to avoid dealing with a holster, but if you need to carry, it is at least worth carrying in a solid holster, preferably with the safety on in nonconfrontational settings. This needs to be reinforced with LEAs everywhere. The consequenses could be much more devastating, and could also injure the officer.
Oh sure, withhold the deputies name huh Devlin!!! You never withhold a person’s name who’s innocent until proven guilty! No, those people don’t exist right. I know the deputies name ” Barney Fife” the ole pistol in the pocket huh!😂 You do know there are things called HOLSTERS don’t you? Ones for concealment, shoulder,ankle, waist, small of back, so many choices!! A child got hit, we sure it was concrete and not fragmented bullet pieces?? Holding the name back, THAT KILLS ME!! I hope ALL his weapons were taken away until your “INVESTIGATION” IS COMPLETE! But, I’m sure it is complete already!! Wow!!
You are innocent until proven guilty so pipe down people. This person is a Deputy Sheriff, and in light of how it’s been open season on law enforcement, you should be thankful no one was hurt!
RE: Susan Kebler. It hasn’t been “open season” on law enforcement; it has been law enforcement’s “open season” on unarmed civilians and especially unarmed black men and children. Holding murderers accountable and wanting them to be held to the same standards of law as everyone else, especially when their murdering is supported by our tax dollars, isn’t “open season”. Over 1000 “innocent until proven guilty” civilians were murdered by police last year, and every year since at least 2014. That’s over 6000, close to 7000 people in the last 6 years. Police are not the judge, jury, and executioner. Especially locally, nothing has happened to police, so relax, Karen. Police instigate the violence anyway; like what kind of police shows up to the police brutality protest and uses police brutality?! Take a step back. This deputy should be held fully accountable for not only not carrying his gun the way he was probably trained to do, but also for not having it on safety, and bringing it into a FAMILY RESTAURANT with CHILDREN when it is COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY ANYWAYS. He should be not only named and fired, but also charged for his dangerous major error. Sit right down, Karen.
Only in Otsego County will you something so messed up happen and not know the name of the idiot who was holding the gun in his pocket as he sat down for dinner with who??? Drug dealers? Gangsters? Thugs? Criminals? Murderers? Rapists? Pedophiles? Child molesters??
I assume it must one of the above right? Why else would an off duty Otsego County Sheriff’s Deputy be carrying a loaded and prepared (non-department issued firearm) concealed weapon in a family restaurant so far from home???
This is yet another shining example of how much Otsego County Sheriff’s Department gets away with. There is no excuse for this whatsoever, but you know the good ole’ boys Devlin and Co. will get away with yet another deplorable act by one of his deputies.
Admittedly I am pretty late to the show and just discovered this story, but I intend to find this persons name out, and I have zero confidence I will because it’s an Otsego County Deputy being protected by the sheriff yet again.
At what point does this sad excuse of a man finally say enough is enough and clean house of these deputies who should not even be allowed to carry so much as a can of OC Spray??