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Rifle accidentally goes off inside Fredericton police station

A rifle accidentally discharged inside the Fredericton police station during a training exercise Tuesday night, officials have confirmed.

No one was injured during the incident, which occurred in the training room shortly after 9 p.m., said Fredericton Police Force spokesperson Alycia Bartlett.

Four officers were participating in mandatory firearms drills at the time, she said.

WorkSafeNB is investigating, and there will also be a Police Act investigation.

"We recognize the seriousness of the incident," Chief Roger Brown said in an emailed statement to CBC News.

"We are conducting a full investigation to find out what happened and to ensure it doesn't happen again," he said.

'Safety is paramount'

At this time, no officers have been suspended.

The type of weapon involved has not been disclosed.

"Safety is paramount when handling any type of firearm, and thankfully no one was injured in this case," said Brown.

"We are committed to continuing safe weapons-handling training for all of our officers."

A WorkSafeNB spokesperson declined to comment, other than to confirm the investigation was underway.

Submitted by the Fredericton Police Force
Submitted by the Fredericton Police Force

This is the second accidental discharge of a rifle inside the Queen Street police station in as many years.

In July 2018, an officer was securing his weapon at the end of a shift, when there was an accidental discharge in a loading station designed to minimize damage in the event of an accidental discharge.

No one was injured, but it did cause some damage to the loading station and adjacent wall, said Bartlett.

WorkSafeNB conducted an investigation and there was also a Police Act investigation.

The matter was concluded through "informal resolution," she said, which means any disciplinary action is not made public.