A Cop who can hit what he's aiming at!

[Timothy]

(AP)  NORTON, Mass. — An off-duty state trooper who was hunting in southeast Massachusetts shot and wounded a 66-year-old woman who was out walking her two dogs when he mistook her pets for a deer.

The woman was shot in the torso while walking on a wooded path in Norton about 5 p.m. Saturday. Police said the trooper called 911 after realizing he had mistaken the tails of the two retrievers for a deer's tail.

The unidentified woman who lives in Norton was taken to Rhode Island Hospital for treatment. Authorities provided no further information on her condition.

State police on Sunday said investigators determined the shooting was an accident. The name of the trooper, who also lives in Norton, was not released because he faces no charges. The investigation continued.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501363_162-57350774/hunting-mass-trooper-accidentally-shoots-woman/

Lesson...know your target and what's beyond it...

There is also a law in MA that says you MUST be out of the woods by 1/2 hour after sunset!  He should have been out of there at 4:51 pm...

[TAB]

how can shooting at a dog thinking its a deer be a accident?

shooting at a deer, hitting a rock  in the ground, having the bullet bounce off and hit some one several hundred yards away is a accident.  Or hitting some one in full cammo several hundred feet/yards away from your game, is a accident.   

shooting at a dog is no accident.

[Timothy]

And, if he was shooting at the dogs, why'd he hit the woman?

As of this morning, nothing is going to happen to the dumbass.  The lady has a fractured pelvis and required extensive surgery.  I wish her well, she's in RI Hospital in Providence.  The same hospital that nearly killed me a few years ago!  They have a long history of operating on the wrong parts...

[tombogan03884]

I would reserve judgement to a certain extent.
Yes, the Statie was a dumbass for misidentifying his target, however I have observed that non hunters are darned irresponsible about what they wear in the woods during hunting season.
Some half wit wearing a brown coat gets shot and the first reaction is to blame the hunter (wearing blaze orange) for being careless.

[Timothy]

I would reserve judgement to a certain extent.
Yes, the Statie was a dumbass for misidentifying his target, however I have observed that non hunters are darned irresponsible about what they wear in the woods during hunting season.
Some half wit wearing a brown coat gets shot and the first reaction is to blame the hunter (wearing blaze orange) for being careless.

True but any hunter that I would trust would never take a shot in fading light, after sunset, knowing full well that there may be folks out in the woods.  Norton ain't exactly the most rural of places to live.  As I said, the law says you MUST be out of the hunting area 1/2 hour after sunset.  The sun set Dec. 31 at 4:21.  This guy should have already stopped hunting for the day!  Being a cop doesn't mean he should not have to read the hunting regs like everyone else!

These are the reasons I only hunt with a very, very small group of people I trust.

Another thing to note is that the womans husband is an avid hunter and teaches Hunter Education which is required by state law.  The woman may have assumed that since it was after sunset she was good to take the dogs for a walk.

Not saying that's the case but it's possible!

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

UPDATE :

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/09/12/state-trooper-who-accidentally-shot-norton-woman-will-not-be-charged/

NORTON (CBS) – A State Police trooper who shot a woman in a hunting accident is in the clear, at least criminally.

Cheryl Blair was walking her dogs in Norton on New Year’s Eve when her neighbor, John Bergeron, mistook her dog for a deer and shot her.

Bergeron was charged with negligence but a clerk magistrate has thrown out the case.

The State Police determined the shooting was accidental.

The trooper has a permit for the black powder rifle, and was out within the deer hunting season.

The bullet shattered Blair’s hip and she has had to undergo at least nine surgeries for infections.  She has filed a lawsuit against Bergeron.

[Magoo541]

So it looks like black powder cap & ball should be issued to NYPD since it seems that is what it takes, black powder, for LEO to hit what they are aiming at 

[jaybet]

Just goes to show you ... if you're LEO, the 4 laws of gun safety(Count them! ONLY 4!!!)  don't apply.

[tombogan03884]

Just goes to show you ... if you're LEO, the 4 laws of gun safety(Count them! ONLY 4!!!)  don't apply.

Goes back to my earlier post Jay, there is no mention about what this woman was wearing.
For all we know she had on a jacket with a big picture of a deer head on it.

[alfsauve]

What town is that has exempted police from red-light violations when not running with lights and sirens?