An off-duty FBI agent whose version of the stanky leg ended with someone being shot will be allowed to carry his work weapon even as he considers a possible plea deal.
Chase Bishop is facing charges of second-degree assault in the June 2 shooting that occurred at the Mile High Spirits and Distillery in Denver. Video footage of the incident, which was shared on social media, shows Bishop dancing as a crowd gathers around him. Bishop does a backflip and his gun flies out of his holster and on to the floor. When he goes to pick up the weapon, the firearm goes off, shooting a man in his leg.
The Associated Press notes that on Tuesday, a judge allowed the change to Bishop’s condition for release, after the agent’s lawyer, David Goddard, argued that the FBI encourages agents to carry their service weapons, even when they are not working. Prosecutors didn’t object, so Judge Fran Simonet allowed Bishop to be armed while on- and off-duty, although he still won’t be able to drink or use drugs while the case is still playing out.
The details of Bishop’s possible plea deal were not revealed, with spokesperson for Denver District Attorney’s Office Ken Lane saying that he could only say what the deal was if it was accepted.
The man who was shot, Tom Reddington, apparently bears no ill will, telling ABC News that he did not blame Bishop, the AP notes.
“I’m not vindictive at all. I don’t want to ruin his life. At this point, there’s nothing we can do to fix it. So, let’s just move on and deal with it as best we can,” Reddington said.
In the meantime, I’m still intrigued by the fact that this white man who is supposed to be a trained individual can display such bad gun-safety skills and still be allowed to walk around armed.