Police: Officer May Have Fired Weapon Accidentally
PALMER PARK, Md. (AP) -- Prince George's County police say an officer who fired his weapon outside a Brentwood gas station in February may have done so accidentally.
Police spokesman Capt. Steven Yuen tells The Washington Times that the Feb. 3 incident involving Cpl. Donald Taylor isn't being counted as a departmental shooting because it doesn't appear Taylor intentionally fired his weapon at someone.
Taylor fired his handgun during an interaction with 19-year-old Ryan Dorm. The incident prompted an internal investigation after video evidence didn't support initial accounts of what happened.
Authorities had said that the officer fired his weapon during a confrontation with a man who started to reach for the officer's gun. No one was injured and some criminal charges against Dorm were eventually dropped.
Taylor remains on administrative leave.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
