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7:40 p.m. • 5-25-13

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Published: 2013-02-28 17:22:27
Updated: 2013-02-28 17:22:27

Suspect injured when Durham officer's gun accidentally discharged


Jeffrey Hunter
Jeffrey Hunter
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A suspect was injured by a bullet fragment when an officer’s gun accidentally discharged during an arrest, Durham police said Thursday.

Officers with the department’s Special Operations Division made an undercover drug buy late Wednesday, then stopped the suspects’ vehicle near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Bay Point Drive.

As the officers were trying to arrest the three men, the gun discharged. Police said a bullet fragment struck Jeffrey L. Hunter, 34, of South Roxboro Street in Durham.

Hunter and the two other men - identified as Jarian Dowdy, 34, of University Drive in Durham, and Tony Moore, 25, of Green Lantern Street in Raleigh – drove away and led the officers on a short chase before crashing into another car at the intersection of Barbee Road and Uzzle Street, police said.

After the crash, the suspects jumped out of the car and ran. Officers chased and caught all three.

Hunter was treated and released from an area hospital. He was charged with four counts of trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine with the intent to manufacture, sell or deliver and resisting, delaying and obstructing law enforcement officials.

He was held in the Durham County jail under a $500,000 bond.

Dowdy and Moore were both charged with conspiracy to commit trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine with the intent to manufacture, sell or deliver and delaying and obstructing a government official.

Dowdy also was charged with sale and delivery of cocaine, and Moore also was charged with felony fleeing from law enforcement officials.

Both were held in Durham County jail under $150,000 bonds.

The driver of the other car involved in the crash was treated for minor injuries.

 


22 Comments


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"Except when the next time it happens it strikes someone totally unrelated to what is happening injuring or killing them so yes it very much matters." We aren't talking about next time are we? We are talking about this single situation. In this particular situation it doesn't matter. No one of any concern was injured. As I stated earlier the correct people are now in jail and the officers got to go home. And were any of you there? I know I wasn't, as I am sure all of you weren't either. So keep coming up with excuses to blame the officer in question instead of applauding them for taking these people off the street.

There are no "unintentional" or "accidenral" discharges, only negligent discharges.

bpegram March 1, 2013 11:01 a.m.

You should never try to break out a car window with your gun. That does not create an accidental discharge, but a stupid discharge. This is unacceptable.

The officer needs to be fired along with his supervisor and the chief. There is no leadership in this department, just people after the community. This individual has a great chance to win a law suit, which will be settled under the table.

"someone needs to teach these cowboy LEOs some restraint. wrecking cars and shooting people is not improving your public servant image." technetium9

There are 100's of stories a day where there is unbelievable restraint, but those don't make the news. What was the hardest thing you had to do at work today?

"Ever heard of using the safety? Wow! I really thought this was ingrained into the LEO's mind through vigerous training exercises." halfpint1552

I'm not sure what weapon this officer's department uses, but most use Glocks that do not have a traditional safety. And when dealing with suspects officers would not have a safety on anyway.

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