Off-duty FBI agent attempting to do a back handspring accidentally shoots bystander


This weekend, an off-duty FBI agent learned a very valuable lesson that they apparently don't teach in Quantico: While doing back handsprings in the club, make sure there's not a loaded weapon in your waistband.
Early Saturday morning, police in Denver were called to the Mile High Spirits Distillery and Tasting Bar for an accidental shooting. An FBI agent had been out on the dance floor, his service weapon in its holster, when he decided to do a back handspring, ABC News reports. There were dozens of people surrounding the agent, cheering him on, when the gun fell out of his back waistband. He moved fast, grabbing the weapon from the ground, but as he picked it up, the gun went off and the bullet hit another patron in the leg.
Denver police said the victim was taken to the hospital in good condition. The agent was taken to police headquarters, then released to his supervisor. The incident is under investigation, and the district attorney's office will determine if charges will be filed.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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