Ga. chief who shot wife had 4 divorces, no violent past

ATLANTA - The Georgia police chief who shot his wife on New Year's Day has gone through four divorces - including one from the woman he shot.

Peachtree City Chief William McCollom called 911 and reported he accidentally shot his wife Margaret while they slept. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into the case. Margaret McCollom was treated for her injuries and released from the hospital.

McCollom has been in law enforcement for 30 years, primarily in seaside communities in South Florida.

Investigators who previously vetted McCollom for police jobs found no evidence of any criminal background or major misconduct. He was a certified police firearms trainer in Florida, and he instructed a SWAT team in combat shooting.

McCollom has gone through four divorces, including one in 1999 from Margaret McCollom. It's unclear whether William and Margaret McCollom ever remarried, though investigators refer to them as husband and wife.

In the 911 call, William McCollom said he was moving the gun before it fired.

"The gun was in the bed, I went to move it, and I put it to a side and it went off," McCollom said in a recording of the emergency call.

Authorities have said Margaret McCollom told investigators she was asleep when the shooting happened but believes it was unintentional.

Near the end of the call, the dispatcher asked the chief whether he was also sleeping when it happened. He responded that he was.