A Kentucky police officer was recovering Monday after accidentally shooting himself in a Cincinnati elevator in an incident that was captured on surveillance video.
Officer Darryl Jouett, of the Erlanger Police Department, stepped into the elevator with his wife after the couple had dinner in the Cinncinnati neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine, WCPO reported.
Surveillance footage shows Joett removing his gun from his holster with his right hand while hold a paper bag and small box with his left. He checks the weapon and is apparently attempting to put it in his pocket when it goes off.
The bullet ricochets off the elevator door and hits the officer in the stomach. He drops drops the firearm and falls to his knees. His wife then pulls our her cellphone and calls for help.
Ed Bridgeman, a retired 35-year law-enforcement official, said carrying a gun is “like handling a snake — you always have to be aware.”
“It looks like he was carrying on a conversation,” Bridgeman said after being shown video of the mishap. He was juggling with the box and then he was obviously juggling with the firearm.”
Jouett told WCPO he was at home and on the mend Monday.
KTLA’s John A. Moreno contributed to this report.