We talked about Ohio firearms instructor Terry Dunlap in August of 2013 when we discovered that the student he shot in his concealed carry class was his second victim.
A special prosecutor declined to file felony charges, but a city attorney felt that the negligent discharge was worth prosecuting:
Violet Township Trustee Terry J. Dunlap Sr. was charged yesterday with negligent assault in connection with the accidental shooting of a student taking a concealed-carry class that Dunlap taught last year.
Lancaster Assistant City Prosecutor Stephanie Hall filed the charge in Fairfield County Municipal Court. She said Dunlap would be sent a summons to appear in court.
Dunlap, 74, said he did not know he had been charged and had no comment.
…
Conviction of the third-degree misdemeanor carries a maximum sentence of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, Hall said.
Dunlap accidentally shot Michael Piemonte, 27, of Pataskala, while he was demonstrating a .38-caliber handgun. The bullet hit Piemonte’s right arm. The shooting occurred on Aug. 10 toward the end of a 12-hour day of training in gun handling and safety.
As noted, this is Dunlap’s second time negligently shooting someone. Dunlap was a Pickerington police department auxiliary lieutenant when he shot a teenager in the leg while on a hayride in 1977.
We do not need instructors that are more of a danger to concealed carry students than the criminals they are training to defend themselves against. That the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission is only suspending his teaching credentials for a year is absurd. If found guilty, I hope that the commission revisits their decision and considers retiring Dunlap permanently.
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