BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 30, 2017– Less than 24 hours after PC Marvin Locke was stabbed brutally and killed at the Racoon Street Police Station by a Honduran man, who had gone into the station and waited for him, another policeman was shot.
Corporal #470 Daniel Paul Lawrence, 37, was shot in the chest on Monday night at his home on Church Street. At home at the time were Lawrence’s two sons, one 8 and the other 17.
Police reported that at about 9:00 on Monday night, Lawrence was sleeping with his loaded 9mm Glock pistol in the ready position under his pillow when the gun discharged.
Lawrence, attached to the Racoon Street Strike Team, was admitted to the KHMH’s Intensive Care Unit, where he had been declared to be serious but stable. Credible reports to Amandala tonight, however, that he is “critical but stable, but still in an induced coma.”
Cop, who was in an induced coma, reportedly recovering
The bullet reportedly went into Lawrence’s chest and injured his lungs. It is not yet known what caused the pistol to discharge, but it is strongly suspected that Lawrence’s finger accidentally made contact with the trigger while he was sleeping and the gun fired, since it was in the “ready” position.
Police have declared the shooting “accidental.” However, when a gun fires unintentionally, it is termed a “negligent discharge,” which is a violation of the principles of safe weapon handling, some of which are: a gun not in use is to be unloaded completely, ensuring that no round is in the chamber and the magazine removed and the gun stored in a safe place. The rounds are stored safely, in a separate area. Gun and rounds are never to be stored in the same place.
The pamphlet also states that a gun is only made ready when it is to be fired, and never to be carried in the ready-to-fire position. It can be carried loaded, but not ready. The gun is considered loaded when the magazine is attached.
Gun owners must at all times practice safe weapon handling to avoid being a menace or a danger to themselves or to others around them.