Community Risk

Ga. Deputy Sheriff Hurt When Blaze Causes Gun to Fire

Sept. 7, 2013

A Burke County Deputy Sheriff is recovering from surgery after a he was hit by a bullet fired from a gun in a structure fire.

Source The Augusta Chronicle, Ga.

Sept. 07--A Burke County sheriff's deputy was hospitalized Friday afternoon sustaining a gunshot wound during a structure fire.

While responding to the fire just outside of Sardis, Deputy Jay Hollingsworth was injured after a weapon stored inside the burning building discharged, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

Hollingsworth was transported to an area hospital, where he was "alert" at the time of his surgery.

About 9 p.m., Hollingsworth was out of surgery and recovering, according to a post on the sheriff's office's Facebook page. The bullet didn't hit any vital organs.