Philly Sheriff’s Office civilian employee accidentally discharges firearm inside office, raising safety concerns.
On Tuesday morning, a disconcerting incident occurred within the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office just hours before Sheriff Rochelle Bilal was scheduled to deliver her annual budget testimony to the City Council. A civilian employee accidentally discharged a firearm while at his desk, prompting a police response.
Sgt. Eric Gripp, spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department, reported that the incident involved a civilian employee who purportedly discharged a personally owned 9mm firearm. The round grazed the employee’s thigh and then lodged in the chair he was sitting on, resulting in a minor injury. Fortunately, no other injuries were reported in connection with this accidental discharge.
The employee who discharged the weapon has been identified as Allen Craig, an administrative assistant earning an annual salary of ,000, according to city payroll records. Although police did not officially name him, several sources within the Sheriff’s Office confirmed his identity. The circumstances surrounding why Craig, a non-law enforcement civilian employee, was carrying a firearm in the office remain unclear, as does whether he had authorization to do so.
Historically, under former Sheriff Jewell Williams, non-sworn employees were prohibited from possessing firearms within the office premises. This policy appears to have been upheld by a 1995 executive order issued by then-Mayor Ed Rendell, which specifically forbids civilian city employees from carrying firearms unless expressly authorized.
The investigation into the shooting is being conducted by Central Detectives, as the employee involved is not a sworn officer. After the incident, Sheriff Bilal proceeded with her planned appearance before the City Council, where she advocated for nearly million in additional funding and proposed the establishment of a new training academy for deputy recruits. Significantly, the shooting incident did not come up during her budget hearing before the Council.
In related developments, Bilal has also put forth a proposal to relocate her office from its current location in Center City to a multistory industrial building at 2450 W. Hunting Park Avenue in North Philadelphia, which is part of the former Budd Company manufacturing complex. Officials from Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration have yet to provide comments on either the relocation plans or the recent incident involving the firearm discharge in the Sheriff’s Office.
As the investigation continues, questions about office gun policies and safety practices within the Sheriff’s Office are likely to come under scrutiny, raising important discussions concerning workplace safety and gun control measures in municipal settings.
