Legislators yesterday called on the National Security Bureau (NSB) to clearly explain what happened at the bureau’s Special Service Command Center on Monday, when a firearm accident occurred that led to an instructor sustaining a serious injury.
An ambulance rushed Lieutenant Colonel Kuo Keng-hung (郭耿宏) to a nearby hospital for medical treatment on Monday afternoon following the incident, which occurred during target practice for special service officers.
Kuo, a firearms instructor, was reportedly shot accidentally in the neck by a stray bullet fired by from one of the trainees, according to a statement by the NSB.
It was reported that the bullet shattered cervical vertebrae in Kuo’s neck, and, following an emergency operation, his life is no longer in danger, but doctors fear he could be paralyzed in his lower body.
Special Service Command Center units are tasked with providing personal protection for the president, vice president, their families, former presidents and other designated individuals, including presidential and vice presidential candidates.
Kuo was wounded by a 9mm caliber bullet from a Glock-19 semi-automatic pistol, which is standard issue for the nation’s top special service officers.
NSB Director-General Lee Shying-jow (李翔宙), along with the command center’s deputy director Lieutenant General Hsu Chang (許昌), went to visit Kuo and his family at the hospital on Monday.
Lee and Hsu promised to provide financial assistance for medical treatment, while vowing to conduct an investigation into the incident.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) yesterday urged the NSB not to cover up what happened and demanded to know the truth, because he said the trainees were to become “personal bodyguards” for the president and vice president.
“The public must know the truth about why this accident took place. Was it because of improper training, or other problems? Was it really an accidental shooting? People will worry about the quality and professionalism of officers responsible for the president’s protection,” said Huang, who is a member of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.
An unnamed NSB official was quoted as saying that, at the target practice session, instructors and trainees had disregarded safety regulations and not worn protective gear.
Retired NSB officer and former presidential body guard Lee Tien-tuo (李天鐸) said the Glock-19 is a reliable pistol that rarely jams or misfires, which the authorities seem to be suggesting is the casue of this accident.
“I believe it was most likely due to human error. Where the instructor stood during and after target practice, there should be no live fire there,” Lee said, “A lack of discipline and lax supervision will lead to problems.”
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