A Florida law enforcement officer is facing termination following an incident last month where she unintentionally shot a man with his own firearm during a routine traffic stop. Officer Mindy Cardwell of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was assisting in a traffic stop on December 13 when the incident occurred. The driver, 39-year-old Jason Arrington, had been stopped for running a red light.
Arrington was fully compliant with the officers at the scene, as shown in the body camera footage. He had informed the officer who initially pulled him over that he was carrying a holstered gun in his waistband. Two officers, including Cardwell, proceeded to frisk Arrington.
While attempting to remove the firearm from Arrington’s waistband, Cardwell accidentally discharged the weapon. Arrington was hit in the upper thigh. It remains unclear whether the safety on the gun was engaged or disengaged when Cardwell attempted to remove it.
Following the accidental discharge, another officer instructed Cardwell to drop the weapon. The officers then assisted Arrington, whose pants were already soaked with blood, to the side of the road. They began to address his gunshot wound, which had caused a significant arterial bleed. The bullet had entered his upper thigh and exited through his inner leg. The officers were able to control the bleeding using a tourniquet.
Arrington was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital. He is expected to fully recover from his injuries. However, he has filed a lawsuit against the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, citing lasting injuries that have affected his ability to work as a crane operator.
An internal investigation by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office found Cardwell to be incompetent and recommended her termination.