A police officer who was involved in clearing protesters from a Columbia University administration building earlier this week fired his gun inside the hall, a spokesperson for District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office confirmed Thursday.
No one was injured, according to spokesperson Doug Cohen, who said there were other officers but no students in the immediate vicinity. He said Bragg’s office is conducting a review.
He did not provide additional details on the incident, which was first reported by news outlet The City.
The New York Police Department did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment.
So he was trying to work the flashlight when he accidentally pulled the trigger. Is there no safety on these guns, or did he disengage that when he was trying to use his radio?
There’s no manual safety to disengage on Glock handguns, a common standard issue sidearm.
They have safeties such as a split trigger, but they’re intended to stop negligent discharges. There’s no switch or button to turn it on and off a “safe” mode.
Technically any unintended discharge of a gun is a negligent discharge because the user isn’t following the 4 rules of gun safety. The trigger dongle makes a glock drop safe, but not safe from idiots putting their finger on the trigger (where most NDs happen).
I may have misused the term, thanks. As far as the split trigger my understanding is that’s for cases where your finger or other object unintentionally partially pulls the trigger.
There’s an additional safety on glocks for drops where the firing pin is blocked by the trigger bar unless the trigger is pulled in a manner that satisfies the split trigger mechanism.
Yeah no problem - not to get too deep in the weeds, but the glock trigger is intended to fire a round whenever you have your finger on the trigger and pull it. In other words, if you pull the trigger, it will go bang. The trigger dongle is not meant to function as a safety device if you are pulling the trigger partially.
In general, the only safety feature of triggers is a long and hard pull weight, commonly seen on “double action / single action” (DA/SA) guns like the Sig P226. The double action refers to 1) cocking the hammer, then 2) releasing the hammer. Glocks are all striker fired, which means they only have a single action (releasing the firing pin, no hammer). That means that each trigger pull on a Glock is the same, in contrast to DA/SA guns where the first pull is extremely hard, then each pull after that (because the hammer is then cocked) is very light. This is considered a safety feature because you have to be very intentional about your first shot, but once you know you’re going to be shooting, other shots are easy.
What’s weird, as the other commenter mentioned, is that NYPD makes glock install a super heavy trigger in their glocks so they all basically function as a safety. However, the dongle doesn’t impact that at all - it’s just a tiny little flap that instantly folds with no pressure.
The firing pin block is indeed a safety device too, but it’s unconnected to the trigger dongle per se (there’s no mechanical connection). A firing pin block does block the firing pin from moving forward. On a glock (and similar striker fired guns with trigger dongles), the movement of the trigger (let’s say 50% through the pull) pushes the firing pin block up so that the firing pin is free to impact the bullet (once the trigger is pulled 100%). The trigger dongle’s job is to prevent the trigger from STARTING to move at all, thus keeping the firing pin block in place - the difference in weight between the dongle and the trigger is what makes them drop safe (in contrast, see early sig p320 designs, which were not drop safe because there was no dongle).
Edit: btw, that’s why good trigger discipline (example) is extremely important for glocks, since you have no external safety (and outside the NYPD, a relatively light trigger weight).
TIL
Thank you.
It’s even worse since the NYPD has absurd trigger pull weight.
Yeah, 12lbs is crazy.
Thank you. I hadn’t checked what they’re issued with.
So then I’m wondering why he didn’t demount the flashlight. I guess he was worried that he might accidentally fire the gun into his foot while doing so. He’s obviously a little bit prone to that kind of thing. Safer to leave it on the rail, I guess.
Although it’s not that hard to unmount a weapon mounted light (WML), you typically do not - it’s just how your gun is configured. Sort of like if you put new laces on shoes, you can technically take them off, but why would you? WMLs are used to help identify targets in dark areas - especially when the possibility of actually shooting is very high - i.e. if you know someone with a gun is hiding in a basement, you’d want your WML on to positively identify them so you’re not shooting at innocent people. HOWEVER, based on everything we’ve heard about these protests, there’s really no reason that the officer should have had his duty weapon out AT ALL. They have regular flashlights for use in regular scenarios (like here) where you need to see in the dark but are not going to be shooting anyone.
You asked “you can … but why would you?”. You answered yourself.
Because he wasn’t in a situation where he was going to need to shoot anyone but he decided to proceed as if he was. And accidents happen, as he demonstrated.
You can say this is SOP, but that’s worse, isn’t it?
Why would you = removing a WML. This guy is clearly a super huge idiot if that’s what he was trying to do. I would think that this is super far from SOP, which should be to use his flashlight since he’s surrounded by 999 other cops, this guy did not need his gun out at all.
Yes, but he did have his gun out and the spokesperson effectively said “don’t worry, he didn’t mean to fire it - he was only planning to point it at people”.
No surprises there. Clear what the priorities are
Let me guess. “We’ve investigated ourselves and determined we did nothing wrong.”
to be fair the protesters aren’t really helping their own cause.
the last wave of social protests were maybe 5-10 years ago on sexual assault, and back then protesters knew to keep to public spaces. if you demonstrate on the sidewalk or organise a march you’re exercising freedom of speech.
but the new wave of protest organizers didn’t get the memo or something. when you do shit like block off a highway or occupy a privately-held building, you’re fighting on others’ terms. You annoy the heck out of the public, create ill-will, and give law enforcement the excuse of removing you for trespassing.
the fact that guns were fired (along with the fact that so many policemen showed up) is crazy, but removing these protesters was the right move.
It’s almost like protests need to be disruptive so people will pay attention and listen.
I don’t know if it was the “right move”, but yeah it’s ineffective to protest at night inside a building. Just sleep in your own bed and march with a sign every day.
These protests are a distraction from their own cause. Columbia is on Broadway. Literally just march down Broadway with signs every day. Every tourist will take photos along the way. You’re in one of the most visited cities on the planet, home to the UN, many consulates, many organization headquarters, many famous locations and you stay in some tents uptown?
Fucking why???
Honestly it’s just because they’re stupid kids that at LARPing as civil rights activists. There either isn’t enough sense between them to this correctly or they just don’t care to achieve results
Guess you forgot about the George Floyd protests 4 years ago.
Forgot, intentionally ignored data that didn’t fit the narrative
Potato, potato
Sit-ins worked for the civil rights movement. If it worked in the 60s it will work today.
Sit ins worked because being there was the thing they wanted to change.
Hamilton Hall has been occupied multiple times in Columbia’s history. This was a symbolic protest and it’s sad that you don’t know that.
https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/education/columbia-university-protests-history/
It’s a peaceful protest.
“Not on my watch,” growled the NYPD officer.
The police aren’t your friends. Many are trained to believe it’s them or you and can only see you as a subhuman threat.
Removed by mod
Meanwhile we get to laugh at you today and forever!
And so it begins … again.
The protesters should try being rightwingers. They could beat the cops with fire extinguishers and flagpoles and just get a slap on the wrist.
You know a lot of them are getting multi-year federal prison sentences, right?
A few years for insurrection involving assaulting police officers and threatening the lives of our nations highest elected officials.
He did not stutter. That’s a slap on the wrist.
Unironically, if they were armed the cops wouldn’t fuck with them
Or they’d just toss frag grenades in, not sure
It’s not a frag grenade, just a little assist one.
The gunfire came as police officers stormed Hamilton Hall late Tuesday. Pro-Palestinian protesters had been barricaded inside for more than 20 hours. Video showed officers with zip ties and riot shields streaming through a second-floor window. Police had said protesters inside presented no substantial resistance.
Because it’s a peaceful protest…
But I’m sad to say it’s more likely the cops said that in a bragging way about how good of a job they did, not that they used excessive force and felt comfortable that they would never be held accountable for abuses towards the protesters.
I think it’s super annoying how cops handle weapons in incredibly irresponsible ways. You shouldn’t be be walking around with your pistol drawn, you only pull it out if you’re going to immediately use it. The reason why is exactly what happened. Handling your gun unnecessarily will increase the number of negligent discharges, because of course it will. Aside from needless property damage, more negligent discharges mean more innocent people get shot for no reason.
It was a assident
It’s just a little desk pop. C’mon everyone does it!
He was just trying to honor the flag
🤣
