New police chief in Colorado accidentally fired gun 2 weeks ago: "Not how anyone wants to start"
The City of Thornton will swear in a new police chief Tuesday evening, but prior to that, CBS News Colorado has learned that Jim Baird accidentally fired a new gun at his apartment on May 14, something the City of Thornton had not previously disclosed.
"It's definitely not how anyone wants to start," said Kylynn McTague, public information officer for the Thornton Police Department.
According to an account of what happened provided to CBS News Colorado, Baird was in his apartment the evening of May 14 when he unintentionally fired a new gun. The bullet went through a kitchen cabinet inside the apartment, and nobody was injured.
"I think it was my fault," Baird told CBS News Colorado. He said he was trying out different magazines on the new Sig Sauer 9 mm handgun when it fired. Baird said he was on the phone call and was multitasking.
"I should have known better," he said. "It's a mistake I'll never make again."
According to a statement by the City of Thornton, Baird immediately tried to contact neighboring residents to make sure nobody had been hit. He then reported the incident to the interim Thornton police chief, who came to the scene with a sergeant from the Thornton Police Department.
Thornton said, "an investigation was launched to assess the circumstances... the investigation confirmed Mr. Baird's account of the incident." Baird was not an employee of the City of Thornton at the time of the May 14 incident.
Baird was not cited or arrested, "as the investigation found no evidence of negligence or criminal conduct." The Thornton Police Department was then tasked with making sure the gun was functioning properly.
"Mr. Baird has been transparent and has taken accountability," read the city statement. It went on to state that city leaders remain confident in Baird.
Baird previously served as the police chief in Breckenridge and was the chief of police in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Thornton has 258 sworn officers and another 88 civilian employees.
Baird's swearing-in is set for Tuesday, May 27 at 7 p.m.
Asked why Thornton had not released any information about the discharge incident until contacted by the media, McTague said it was "a choice of leadership."
