Cop's Son, 5, Fires Service Weapon Inside Parking Garage

UPDATED at 8:44 a.m. SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- The child of a Clayton County police officer fired the cop's service weapon inside a parking garage last week in Sandy Springs.

An officer with the Sandy Springs Police Department responded to discharge of a firearm call at 1 Glenlake Parkway around 7:41 a.m. Monday, April 10.

The officer arrived and spoke with Clayton County officer Welkind Saint-Jean, who recounted the incident to authorities. Saint-Jean, a 30-year-old Riverdale resident, said he arrived at the parking garage with his son, the incident report released by Sandy Springs police said.

Saint-Jean parked his vehicle, and his son got out of his car seat and climbed into the front passenger seat.

While the officer was exiting the vehicle, "his son accessed the glove compartment and retrieved his service weapon," the incident report released by the department states.

"His son was able to remove the gun from the holster and fire the weapon," the officer wrote.

The bullet went through the front windshield and "made contact" with the roof of the garage, which is made of concrete. Bullet fragments were also found lying next to the right side of the vehicle and a shell casing was discovered on the front passenger seat.

The child, who had a small bruise on his right cheek, did not need any medical attention. Clayton County police detectives and the deputy chief also responded to the scene. The incident remains under investigation.

Clayton County police spokesperson Sgt. Ashanti Marbury said the agency is "examining" the incident, and will require Saint-Jean to undergo additional training on safely securing his weapon.

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