It sounds like a metaphor. But according to the Odessa American, an FBI agent really did shoot himself in the foot while trying to serve a warrant in a private home. See the article yourself at Questions loom following FBI raid.
My questions start with this one: What kind of gun was it?
The FBI.gov faqs don't answer that question. However if the answers at answers.com are accurate, FBI agents are issued Glocks.
Accidental discharges with Glock handguns -- that's a subject we've visited many times here at Sleepless in Midland. A Glock has a light trigger pull and no manual safety. If there's a bullet in the chamber, it's ready to fire and easy to shoot. Glock users need to be mindful of that and not get distracted from the gun safety rules.
It's easy to imagine an FBI agent with adrenalin pumping, heart pounding, and finger inside the trigger guard. The gun is pointed down for safety reasons -- the agent almost got that part right. The muscles are tense, and without even knowing it, the trigger is gently squeezed. BAM!
He/she joins DEA agent Lee Paige in the Glock discharge hall of shame.
Do you suppose the FBI agents had body cameras on them? If so, unless the video gets shown at a trial, it will probably never be seen outside the TV room at the FBI.
Side note: Lee Paige sued the DEA for violations of the Privacy Act for damages he allegedly incurred from all the hoopla the video got when it showed up on the internet. The trial court threw the case out, and that ruling was affirmed on appeal because the recording didn't meet the requirements to qualify as an item subject to the Privacy Act.
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