(StraightNews.org) – More than a dozen law enforcement officers were injured during an explosion at an FBI facility in California. The incident occurred on March 14 as the Orange County Sheriff’s SWAT team conducted exercises with the Hazardous Devices Section – or bomb squad. The Sheriff’s office told reporters that a bomb exploded at an indoor facility during the training, sending 16 officers to hospital, but none with serious injuries.
Sergeant Frank Gonzalez added that the most severe injury was sustained by a SWAT team member, who required surgery to his leg. “We have medical plans in place, and they were activated immediately,” he said. Mr. Gonzalez could not explain what caused the explosion and confirmed that the FBI would thoroughly investigate.
The explosion occurred at the FBI Special Agent Jerry Crowe Regional Tactical Training Facility in Irvine, and the injured, most of whom suffered dizziness and went to hospital as a precaution, were all members of the Orange County Sheriff’s SWAT team.
Experts say that accidents during law enforcement training are more common than most people realize, and no records or statistics are maintained. Shooting incidents are the most common, and Ken Murray, who runs the Reality Based Training Association in Florida, says there are at least two fatalities per year.
Mr. Murray says criminal charges in such cases are rare, but they can often lead to an officer’s suspension or firing.
Bill Lewinski, a behavioral scientist based in Illinois, trains law enforcement officers with the Force Science Institute and says training has changed dramatically in recent decades. In the past, officers in training did not even point plastic guns at each other, he explained, but today, officers use firearms often capable of holding and discharging live rounds.
Accidental shootings usually result from live firearms in training, even though participants are screened under safety protocols. Sometimes, however, these precautions fail due to oversight or if officers inadvertently fail to swap their weapons prior to commencement.
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