Wednesday evening at the Massachusetts State Police mounted unit barn in Acton ended with a trooper in the hospital after the trooper apparently discharged a service weapon, according to the agency. The trooper was treated for injuries described as non-life-threatening and transported to Lahey Hospital in Burlington. Massachusetts State Police have characterized the shooting as accidental and say an investigation is underway.
In an initial review, state police said the trooper fired a service weapon and that the discharge is being treated as accidental, a department spokeswoman told NBC Boston. Officials have not released the trooper’s name or any specifics about what the trooper was doing when the gun went off. Investigators remained at the scene Wednesday night, and the agency reiterated that the injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Acton Barn Houses the Mounted Unit
The shooting took place at the State Police Mounted Unit barn in Acton, the home base for the agency’s mounted troopers and horses, according to Wikipedia. The mounted unit typically handles crowd control, patrols and ceremonial appearances, and the Acton facility is used to house, train and care for the horses, as well as to support day-to-day operations for mounted troopers.
Investigation and Next Steps
State police say they are conducting a preliminary inquiry to determine how the trooper’s weapon discharged and, for now, are keeping further details under wraps, including the trooper’s identity and the exact circumstances leading up to the incident, NBC Boston reported. The department has not announced any disciplinary measures or criminal charges related to the shooting.
Incidents involving on-duty weapons discharges typically trigger internal administrative reviews and safety checks, although State Police have not provided a timeline for that process in this case. This story will be updated as officials release additional information.
