One Person Injured When Metro Officer's Gun Goes Off On Strip

LAS VEGAS, NV - A tragic incident was avoided after the "negligent discharge" of a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer's rifle caused a bullet to ricochet off the Las Vegas Strip and strike a person in the calf shortly after over 330,000 people gathered on the famous four-mile stretch to celebrate New Year's Eve, according to a report from Fox 5 News in Las Vegas.

According to the Fox 5 KVVU report, a person suffered minor injuries upon being struck in the calf by the bullet that bounced off the pavement at 1:19 a.m. on Jan. 1. The victim was treated at the scene and did not require hospitalization.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department classified the incident as "negligent discharge," according to the report. The incident is under investigation.

This year's festivities were accompanied by what Metro Sheriff Joe Lombardo called "unprecedented" security measures. The federal government classified the New Year's Eve celebration on the Strip as a SEAR 1 Event - indicating the highest public safety risk. To supplement existing LVMPD resources, additional law enforcement, as well as ground resources, air assets, and response stations throughout the city were provided by the Department of Homeland Security and FBI.

According to the Fox 5 report, the "negligent discharge" classification means the officer accidentally pulled the trigger or caused it to fire somehow, rather than a gun malfunction.

This is a developing story.

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