it boggles the mind

you'd think that after 15 years of living here, things like this wouldn't effect me but they do...

the following happened yesterday in the county just south of us: a sheriffs deputy radio's in to dispatch stating he's going to go in and check a small store at a trailer park along a major highway. shortly after, he radios again, this time for backup saying two suspects shot him and sped off in a dark car. the officer had gun shot wounds in his left arm and right shoulder.

of course it didn't take long for over 100 officers from the city, county, and surrounding counties and cities to respond. some are at the scene of the crime, some on a manhunt for the suspects. the officer is rushed to the med (major trauma center in memphis) in non-critical condition with police escort and all. but the main investigator on the scene realizes things aren't adding up. some 12 shots were discharged from the officer's weapon--he states he responded with gunfire after being wounded. ten bullets are found in the surrounding area... 2 in him... hmmmm?

after investigators questioned the officer, he admitted to shooting himself. once in the left arm and once in his right shoulder. (dork.) okay, strange enough, but not the part that boggles my mind. the officer is fired (well, of course). but no charges will be filed against him.

no charges?!!? let's see, i don't know a whole lot about law enforcement, but i do know that filing a false report is a misdemeanor in that state/county. discharging a weapon within city limits (even for an officer, if there is no immediate danger) is against the law. and on the ironic (and, i admit, a little silly) side... the guy shot an officer of the law! :)

reports are now starting to come out that this officer has a history of attempting suicide (twice while on the force: shooting himself once in the stomach, and once in the thigh). this guy is a real prize.

next on the list of prizewinners is the county sheriff's commander. he says they have no motive as to why he did it. then goes on to say, "we have not had any indication that we have on file right now that he has a mental problem to the point there was a red flag that jumped up that something like this could occur." (in the first place... what? where did you learn to put a sentence together?) no indication? the two times that he attempted suicide while on the force with his service weapon didn't indicate a problem?

so here are my questions:

1) no charges against him? what about all the manpower/hours lost because of this incident? what about filing a false report?

2) he really sucks at marksmanship. stomach... thigh... shoulder... arm... how about aiming for the heart or just shove the thing in your mouth? (i know... sounds harsh, but dang! either get help or do it right.)

3) why is this guy allowed to carry a service revolver?

4) why is this guy still on the force at all?

5) how did he even get on the force with such crappy marksmanship? i mean, if you can't even get it right at point-blank range...?