A routine traffic stop in Florida took a tragic turn when Jason Arrington was accidentally shot in the leg with his own firearm during an arrest on Dec. 13, 2024. The incident began when Arrington was pulled over for running a red light.
Arrington informed Officer Shaun Lowry that he was carrying a firearm, prompting Officers Austin Weippert and Mindy Cardwell to detain him and secure the weapon. During the process, Officer Cardwell accidentally discharged the gun while attempting to remove it from Arrington’s holster. Investigators later determined the accidental discharge occurred because Cardwell’s fingers were inside the trigger guard.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office released body cam footage of the incident and confirmed the findings of an internal investigation. The probe concluded that Officer Cardwell was guilty of incompetence, resulting in her termination.
Man accidentally shot by officer attempting to remove his gun pic.twitter.com/2LB4sO6uVH
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 23, 2025
Jacksonville’s CBS affiliate, WJAX, has additional information on the ongoing repercussions:
Jason Arrington, the motorist, told Action News Jax he was ordered out of his vehicle when he made officers aware that he had a firearm. “She tugged on the gun the first time then she tugged again,” Arrington said about Cardwell. “And that’s when I told her, ‘Let me unloosen my belt because it’s tight.’”
He said that the officer pulled even harder and that’s when the gun went off. The bullet hit him in the upper thigh. “The Internal Affairs investigation resulted in a sustained charge of incompetence against Officer Cardwell and JSO has begun termination proceedings for Officer Cardwell,” the sheriff’s office posted on social media Tuesday.
What happened to Arrington resulted in JSO changing it’s policy in dealing with people they encounter who are legally armed.
JSO released a memorandum on Dec. 18 detailing how officers should deal with someone carrying a concealed weapon. In that memorandum, it said officers “should not seize a firearm from someone lawfully carrying it.”
Arrington nevertheless plans to file a lawsuit against the department.
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As a certified firearms instructor, this video shows multiple stupid moves and as they say, “ you can’t fix stupid.” First the “victim” should never have been carrying an in-battery firearm (evidently with no manual safety or at least not engaged) in a pocket with no holster. Pocket holsters that cover the trigger or IWB or OWB holsters exist for very good reasons. Secondly, the cop clearly didn’t keep her finger out of the trigger guard. That is Gun Safety 101 that is taught to 12-year-olds when they go for their safety certificate. Finally, why was the female officer frisking him when there was a male officer right there? That can just lead to unnecessary accusations. From the male officer’s reaction after the accident, he appears to be the senior person on scene.
What a dumb ass! Who trained her?
This may sound sort of sick. I hate the word ( SUE ) But in this CASE! I hope the ( DRIVER ) SUES, SUES, SUES !!! And hope he gets the BESTEST LEGAL team known !!! And NEVER has too Work again !!! And the dumb, over Selous ,incompetent, what-A- be POLICE- WOOMAN, should NEVER, NEVER, be able too work at anything dealing with FIREARMS !!! Maybe a gun for protection, only reason , probably more DANGER to herself, Plus I now see how its possible ,shooting yourself while cleaning a empty GUN. She and those self in flickers, Probably all went too the same GUN SAFTEY CLASS. An the old but good saying? YOUR GOING TO KNOCK YOUR EYE OUT!!!!!!!!
Glad she was terminated and that he is suing. He was co-operating and told them he was carrying. Seems as if she did not know ho to handle a gun.
The Officer should have known that you do not put your booger hook anywhere near the loud switch on a gun. What bothers me is that it does not appear that the safety was on if shed was able to fire two shots off.
BIG QUESTION ??? Routine ? Is there such a thing ? With all the WOKE, is there chance of RACE ? Gender ? Undocumented ALIEN DRIVER ?? Trump sticker on truck ? So many possible factors. All the FACTS are needed. Maybe female (cop) was molested at Catholic girl school by a MILK TRUCK DRIVER ? Had flash back, a TOTALY ACEPTABLE REASON to SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER. OR !! let me LOSSEN my Belt was a PHRASE used by milk truck driver ???? I want the old (PAUL HARVEY) famous words he used every day of his show??? HERES THE REST OF THE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am in a state of ??? I see news on National TV that only concern is GUN CONTROL. or Trump Bashing. We have Racist cops doing their job , making SAINTS out of LAW BREAKING CRIMINALS ! Here a real chance to bring Real truth about a TRIGGER HAPPY COP. Only thought I have maybe cop is one of those undocumented ? and does not have to follow the same laws we do ?? May be real Solution would be ? Cancel all Democrat loving News Stations, which is all of them ! And go back to NEWS PAPPERS. Could wipe our ? start BLM fires, recycle, wrap fresh caught Fish, at least have some real USE in comparison and not wasting PRIME TIME TV. As much as I HATE !! game shows they would be a improvement in their TIME SLOT !!!! My PERSON Favorite Idea ? Americanliberty.com Have a World Wide News STATION, 24/7 365 days a year.
Final B.S. Here YOUR SIGN. DEMON-CRATS are right again ! The GUN turned on it’s Owner ! All guns want too do is KILL ! But in Defense of the Gun, They should all have Safety Training before leaving factory ! This way we could hold the (Gun ) Personally responsible , INSTEAD. That way instead of Just Criminals getting a free ride, Honest Americans can get the same break. BLAME it on the GUN personally. Maybe Guns should have ( SIKE ) sessions before leaving . Lets face the TRUTH !!! Who else could you possibly BLAME ? But that DEVIT thinking (GUN)??????????? My real FEAR is when All the Military Guns start UPRISING!!!!!!!!!