Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Be Sure Of Your Target...

STRATFORD, Conn. — "An off-duty New Haven police officer shot and critically wounded his 18-year-old daughter, apparently mistaking her for an intruder after she sneaked out of their Stratford home and re-entered through the basement.

Eric Scott, 41, on the New Haven force for nine years, has not been charged in the Tuesday shooting.

"Mr. Scott was under the impression his daughter had gone to bed for the night," Stratford Capt. Thomas Rodia said. "He did not expect his daughter to be outside or down in the basement."

Investigators said Tasha Scott left her home late Monday to meet a boyfriend. She triggered a backyard motion sensor light as she tried to enter through a basement door.

Awakened by the light, Eric Scott spotted someone moving in the basement bathroom, police said. He fired his department-issued pistol once, hitting the teen in the knee. The bullet traveled up her leg and lodged in her thigh area, police said.

Her father called 911, authorities said.

The teenager underwent surgery and was listed in critical but stable condition Wednesday morning."

"Up her leg and lodged in her thigh." Okay. If the bullet hit bone it could have fragmented and sent pieces willy nilly. All sorts of things can happen when an obviously untrained person discharges a firearm. But make no mistake; this was not accidental. This was a negligent shooting, and no, he won't be charged with a damned thing but he should be. This had to be one wild ass shoot if the guy couldn't even recognize the target as being his own daughter. But to me, it stinks to high heavens.

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