Charles Dee Rowsell, a 75-year-old Palm Coast resident and retired law enforcement officer, was participating in a firearms qualification course hosted by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office when he shot himself in the leg while holstering his gun this afternoon, according to a sheriff’s report. He was airlifted to Halifax hospital.
The incident took place shortly after noon the Flagler Gun and Archery Club on County Road 90, which also hosts the sheriff’s gun range.
Rowsell “suffered what was believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his right leg during a training incident after an accidental discharge,” a report states. “Immediate aid was rendered by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Training Unit. Charles was transported by a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office marked agency vehicle to the intersection of County Road 90 E and County Road 305. Subsequently, Flagler County Fire Flight utilized the intersection as their landing zone, and transported Charles to Halifax Health in Daytona Beach.”
Little is known or has been released about Rowsell, but he appears to have spent his career in the western United States, buying property in Palm Coast three years ago. He lives there with his wife.
“Preliminary review of the incident indicates the victim had his finger inside the trigger guard while holstering, causing the gun to discharge a single round that went through his leg. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening,” a sheriff’s release states. The agency’s Major Case Unit detectives responded to the range and are investigating the incident. The Sheriff’s office will also conduct a separate internal review of the incident to ensure all safety measures were followed, the release states.
“While this is an unfortunate incident, because the range is in a remote part of Flagler County, our deputies overseeing the annual qualification are highly trained and carry trauma kits,” Sheriff Rick Staly was quoted as saying in the release. “Accidents can happen but our deputies did exactly what they were trained to do to treat the victim’s injury until emergency medical services could arrive.” He wished the retired officer a quick and full recovery.
It is the second accidental shooting the Sheriff’s Office is investigating since one of its own deputies, Bryan Jackson, accidentally but lightly injured an 11-year-old boy in Daytona North (or the Mondex) while practice-shooting an agency-issued AR-15 with his daughter Kailen, a new recruit in the agency, in August in his backyard, not far from the gun range. The FBI was at that scene only yesterday. (See: “FBI Was in Mondex Today Investigating Sheriff’s Deputy’s Property Involved in Accidental AR-15 Shooting of Boy.”)
The training was taking place under the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, a 2004 federal law often referred to as H.R. 218, after the name of the bill that enacted it. It allows qualified retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms in any jurisdiction in the United States, regardless of state or local laws, with some exceptions, but requires an annual qualification.
The Sheriff’s Office hosts such H.R. 218 firearms qualification course every spring and fall. It is a 38-round course designed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Each qualified retiree is required to provide the firearm they plan to carry and their own ammunition along with their holster, eye protection, and ear protection. They are also required to sign a release of liability and rules of the range to participate.
“We offer this course as a thank you to nearby retired law enforcement officers for their service,” Sheriff Staly added.
Cooter says
Charles Dee Rowsell more like Rosco Pico Coltrane. “I, I, I got em Boss!”
Jay Tomm says
75 is A LOT of bad training to get rid of! Hope this guy finally learned!
JANET SULLIVAN says
I had to laugh at the Sheriff’s statement: “We offer this course as a thank you to nearby retired law enforcement officers for their service.” My thank you gifts of corporate pins with diamonds, a watch, and a David Yurman necklace certainly pale in comparison to the opportunity to shoot myself in the leg. (I do hope the patient is doing well.)
Flagler Expatriate says
So did the retired cop who shot himself in the leg get his certification from Ranger Rick’s shooting academy?
It’s scary enough with all the FCSO nut jobs carrying military grade firearms. Now we’ve got old dotards from god knows where carrying concealed weapons who can’t holster their guns without blowing their nuts off!