1 Potentially Injured After Sheriff's Deputy Inadvertently Fires Gun in Courthouse

One person was potentially injured after a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy inadvertently fired their gun in a courtroom, according to recently released information.

The incident occurred at the Van Nuys courtroom in Los Angeles on August 16. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed to The Los Angeles Times that the deputy's weapon was "unintentionally discharged" while he attempted to put it away in the building's Department 112.

The sheriff's department would not confirm any further details about the incident, including whether or not anyone was injured.

"We can confirm an unintentional discharge occurred at Van Nuys court on August 16, 2021," a statement sent to Newsweek by the department read. "Due to the active investigation we are unable to offer further comment at this time, but what we can say is based on the results of the investigation, proper administrative action will be taken if warranted."

Reports of a potential injury during the accident emerged from the advocacy group Court Watch LA. The group claims that an attorney allegedly present in the courthouse at the time reached out to them, describing how the discharged bullet hit another deputy's radio and seemed to hurt them.

"We have learned from multiple sources that on August 16th, a @LASDHQ bailiff in Van Nuys Dept 112 accidentally discharged his gun in the courtroom in the middle of the proceedings while many people were in the courtroom," Court Watch LA tweeted. "The bullet ricocheted off a wall and hit another @lasdhq deputy, striking the radio on his hip. The deputy was reportedly injured by shrapnel from the radio. If this were a civilian who accidentally discharged his weapon, he'd be facing criminal charges."

The sheriff's department said in a statement sent to The Times: "Due to the active investigation we are unable to offer further comment at this time, but what we can say is based on the results of the investigation, proper administrative action will be taken if warranted,"

A source with knowledge of the incident, according to the newspaper, also described the bullet as hitting another deputy's radio. However, they said that the other deputy was not injured from the incident.

"I can't imagine if I worked in a courthouse, and I heard a gunshot go off and then there's no follow up after that," Rebecca Brown, operator of Court Watch and legal fellow with the National Lawyers' Guild, said about the situation.

The Times noted that the shooting was not listed on the sheriff's department public listing of instances where a deputy's weapon was discharged. The list typically only includes incidents that result in injuries or fatalities.

Updated 9/29/21, 3:44 PM ET, with a response from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.