DEA Agent Who Shot Self In Foot Sues U.S

[951-Riverside]

APRIL 11--A Drug Enforcement Administration agent who stars in a popular online video that shows him shooting himself in the foot during a weapons demonstration for Florida children is suing over the tape's release, claiming that his career has been crippled and he's become a laughingstock due to the embarrassing clip's distribution.

Lee Paige, 45, blames the video's release on DEA officials in an April 7 federal lawsuit filed against the U.S. government. A copy of the pro se complaint by Paige, a DEA agent since 1990, can be found below. According to the lawsuit, Paige was making a "drug education presentation" in April 2004 to a Florida youth group when his firearm (a Glock .40) accidentally discharged. The shooting occurred moments after Paige told the children that he was the only person in the room professional enough to carry the weapon.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0411061foot1.html

Video: http://www.thesmokinggun.com//graphics/movies/deaagentfoot.wmv

[slackmaster]

1. He's a laughingstock because he deserves to be a laughingstock

Arrogant dumbass.

[mark11727]

2. WHY is he carrying a loaded weapon during a demonstration for kids?

I originally thought it was a demonstration for new recruits or something, but carrying a loaded weapon when one isn't necessary seems like a bad idea.

[slackmaster]

11. Because he is a DUMBASS

:nuke:

[benEzra]

38. The real question is, why did he point a loaded weapon at his foot

and deliberately pull the trigger? :wtf:

[mitchum]

3. He's ALREADY a laughingstock because he's a DEA agent...

a member of a stupid, wasteful bureaucracy engaged in a a stupid, wasteful "crusade"
Call me heartless, but I never have any pity when I hear about DEA misfortune. When your work is a farce, your misfortune can hardly be a tragedy.

[sweetheart]

23. .

:-) well said

[FiveGoodMen]

43. You are so right!

[pinniped]

4. It sounded like there was a click noise a couple seconds....

before he shoots himself.

Did Einstein close the slide on a loaded mag on an unloaded weapon? It's hard to see if the slide was back in the grainy clip.

Dumbass.

I like the way he attempts to play it off by talking about how accidents happen, then he goes and grabs another gun.

[aikoaiko]

16. yes, I watched the video carefully I'm convinced I see the mag in

while he has the slide locked back and then he releases the slide... the rest is history.

[KurtNYC]

41. Yeah, move over Fire Marshall Bill...

I had heard about the video before I saw it but it is just incredible. The best part is when he asks for the machine gun and you can hear the kids going "noooooooo."

[GodlessBiker]

42. This video is shocking! No wonder he is representing himself.

It shows stupidity on so many levels.

[IntravenousDemilo]

5. He must have been high or something. n/m

[Poll_Blind]

6. Glocks don't "accidentally" discharge. A finger pulls the triger.

The irresponsible gun owner pulled the trigger. Don't blame the gun, asshole. Many people spent thousands of hours to design a safety system which has brought Glock world-renown as duty firearms.

You pulled the trigger, shithead. You also had a round in the chamber. Honestly, pulling the trigger is a much more forgivable sin than not making 4000% sure that you didn't have a goddamned round in the weapon. Especially when you're going to confidently show it to children.

Jesus Christ. I've seen this video- this guy should not be on the force. I wouldn't even want him in the stall next to me at the shooting range.

PB

[Pavulon]

9. Correct

This guy is a dumbshit. He should not have un holstered his weapon. He should not have pointed it in an unsafe direction, at himself, and should not have pulled the trigger.

I own a glock and have fire many thousands of rounds through it. It has never just gone off.

The only weapon I have ever heard of this happening on (I am no expert) is the M16a> because the firing pin can come forward and dimple a primer when the bolt closes on a live round. However unless the operator is using poor judgment this will send a round downrange.

The firing mechanism (striker) in the glock model makes this impossible.

[slackmaster]

12. I also own a Glock - It's as safe as a double-action revolver

You have to screw up to have a negligent discharge.

The only weapon I have ever heard of this happening on (I am no expert) is the M16a> because the firing pin can come forward and dimple a primer when the bolt closes on a live round.

That will not happen on a properly cleaned and maintained rifle.

[Pavulon]

31. I am referring to

the military select fire rifle. I am no armorer but the unit armorer said that the M16 differs from the ar in because there is firing pin block in the safety. Don't know if that is true will all m16s issued.

I do not own an ar. I have seen a pristine m16 (my issue weapon an older a2 model) dimple a primer. I never saw an AD or ND but could see a improperly set primer firing when struck by the firing pin carrying only the momentum of the bolt closing.

I was not in an infantry unit but I would assume dropping the bolt while pointing at someone would get you as ass kicking, 15ed, or both.

[slackmaster]

35. AR-15 safety does not have a firing pin block

For a comparison between selective-fire M16 and civilian semiautomatic AR-15 parts, see

http://www.ar15.com/content/legal/AR15-M16Parts/

The collar of the firing pin on the AR-15 is exposed in a manner that is supposed to reduce the likelihood of a slam-fire in case the hammer is dropped before the bolt is all the way forward, but I believe the potential for dimpling of primers during normal operation is identical.

Needless to say, muzzle control is a must at all times with any firearm.

[saigon68]

14. I wouldn't want him in the next stall in the MEN'S BATHROOM

He might pull it out and whip himself to death. Or fall in the commode and drown and in the process cause a flood which ruins my shoes.

[genieroze]

21. I''m sorry I posted the same thing after you did because it's the first

thing that came to mind. Does this guy pee on his shoes much?

[saigon68]

24. Fine minds think alike

I guess the word stall fired me up

Although this stall is probably where he belongs

[michreject]

28. In the pic on the right

The wrong end of the horse is showing.

[rocktivity]

36. Speaking of guns and bathroon stalls...

Officer's Gun Falls From Pants, Shoots Man In Other Bathroom Stall

...(A)n off-duty officer was at a San Antonio auto auction house Wednesday when nature called.

...(He)...strolled to the appropriate facility and was lowering his trousers when his pistol fell from his waistband. When (he) fumbled for the falling firearm, it went off -- twice.

One of the bullets nicked a bit of floor tile into the leg of a man who was washing his hands nearby...

:silly:
rocknation

[aikoaiko]

18. or a holster strap could pull the trigger, but it was still negligent

either way.

Glocks are very good firearms, of course, I just prefer one with a manual safety.

[Pavulon]

33. Not AD, ND

This is not an AD it is an ND Negligent Discharge.

Never seen this happen. I have a glock and a retension holster that uses a strap. The design of all holsters make it all but impossible to do this.

I have heard plenty of stories of people AD ing the M9 for the same reason as this idiot. I thought it was unloaded and dropped the hammer on a live round.


This guy broke every rule of firearm safety. Thankfully he did not shoot any children.

Or do the same thing with an "unloaded" m16 he handles later.

[aikoaiko]

37. yes it was an ND, as i said, either way.

I was just clarifying that it didn't have to be a finger that pulled the trigger although it likely was.

[genieroze]

20. If I were a guy I wouldn't want him in a stall next to me in a bathroom.

:rofl:

[rocktivity]

40. DING DING DING! Poll_Blind, you're our grand prize winner!

You pulled the trigger, shithead...(You didn't)...mak(e) 4000% sure that you didn't have a goddamned round in the weapon. Especially when you're going to confidently show it to children...

It's not "liberals" and "pacifists" who hurt the public image of gun owners. It's jerks like him (and a jerk working in law enforcement, at that) who don't practice the most basic gun safety and end up blubbering, "I didn't know it was loaded!"

:mad:
rocknation

[Jose Diablo]

49. Delete..just noticed somebody close above said pretty much the same thing

[AndyTiedye]

7. Kickety/Recommendee

I hope this gets :rofl: out of court.

I suppose he gets some props for trying to go on with the class after shooting himself in the foot,
but why the fuck did he bring a loaded gun into the classroom, and how did he FORGET it was loaded?

:kick:

[President Kerry]

8. The only person in the room professional enough to handle a firearm?

You can't make this stuff up. :rofl: You got no case, man. Go get yourself another job.

[anotherdrew]

15. well, he did keep going and rolled with it and had just a slight limp

I gotta give him credit for not freaking out.

[pinniped]

10. On the second weapon, a long arm, he reassures the kids the....

weapon is empty.

I believe him.

[NYC]

22. "This is an unloaded gun."

Those were his exact words about the Glock 40.

[Elidor]

13. That loud sound you heard was the end of his career

BOOYAKA! What a fizwickle.

[struggle4progress]

17. He shoulda asked fer a high level political appointment: he'd ..

.. fit right in ...

[mitchum]

19. He probably will fall upwards

[Richard Steele]

25. Yeah, why isn't this guy in charge of FEMA yet?

He seems eminently qualified!

[951-Riverside]

47. He's African American

If you look at FEMA most of the staff are preppy white men & women who are disconnected from reality and humanity.

[Dragonbreathp9d]

26. Good, he deserves his career to be crippled

[baby_mouse]

27. FLAMETHROWERS on the stupid fucker for WASTING EVERYONE'S TIME.

Nevermind *reckless endangerment* of young people!

We laugh at you because you're stupid, not because we're mean, Mr Fuck-Up.

[Hand]

45. Comin' up!

There we are!

[baby_mouse]

46. Cool! I want one!

:7

[Hand]

48. Get yours right here!

Hmm... can't post the link. Well, right-click on the damn thing and save the .gif on your computer. Better yet, get the Smiley Xtra extension for Firefox! :toast:

[henslee]

29. What an idiot. He should go Hollywood... star in a new Police Academy.

[trixie]

30. Just be glad a bullet didn't hit a child

IDIOT! :rant:

[Jose Diablo]

32. Are we sure Lee Paige is not really Barney Fife in disguise?

Sure, it was in the news lately about Barney passing, but maybe that news of his demise was greatly exaggerated.

[rocktivity]

34. "7. At the time of the aforesaid accidental discharge,

Mr. Paige's presentation was being videotaped...Shortly after the accidental discharge, the videotape, which was the only video and audio recording...was turned over to the DEA...Later...(it)...was returned to the person who had made the videotape...(with)...the video and audio portions of the accidental discharge...removed..."

Well, exactly HOW shortly is "shortly after the discharge?" Did the filmmaker immediately take the film out of the camera and hand it to Paige or whoever had accompanied him? Or was the tape brought to or picked up by the DEA after the lecture ended?

I couldn't agree more that Paige has earned his riducle and our scorn. As I watched him fuss with the gun just before the shot, I hoped that he would explain that he was performing a gun safety measure. But if it's a fact that the DEA had temporary custody of the tape, and if there's no reason to believe that a copy of it had been made beforehand, then how DID it get out? After all, it doesn't reflect on them any better than it does on Paige.

:shrug:
rocknation

[benEzra]

39. The other question would be, why did the DEA think it was authorized

to confiscate somebody's tape and erase the embarrassing portion just because one of their agents screwed up on camera?

If ABC News catches the NYPD screwing up, is the NYPD authorized to confiscate ABC's camera and erase the embarrassing part?

[Roon]

44. I can't bear to watch the video

probably because I can see something like this happening to me if I was DEA. No, I don't have any guns.

[Blue_Tires]

50. that could have been a LOT more tragic than it was

but as it stands now, that shit has me rolling on the ground!

"The only person in the room professional enough to carry the weapon??" bloody brilliant