Policeman guarding the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 'accidentally' fired his gun while sitting in a car outside their Anglesey home

Met Special Ops officer was on guard in an unmarked car outside the couple's home when he accidentally discharged his gun

Nobody was injured in the incident

The officer has been removed from firearms duty pending the outcome of a Scotland Yard investigation

Scotland Yard has launched a high-level investigation after an officer guarding the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge accidentally fired a gun outside their house.

The plain-clothed policeman was on duty at the couple’s rented home on Anglesey, North Wales, where Prince William works as a Search and Rescue pilot at RAF Valley.
William was on base at the time but his wife was believed to be at home, although sources stressed she was not in the vicinity of the shot and therefore had not been in any danger.

Protection: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are at home on Anglesey following their recent tour of Asia and the South Pacific
The incident happened at lunchtime on Wednesday last week when the officer - who has not been named - was in an unmarked car outside the property.

According to the Metropolitan Police he ‘unintentionally discharged a firearm’.
The bullet went straight into the floor of the car - believed to be a Range Rover - but fortunately the officer and a second colleague who was also in the vehicle were uninjured.
He has, however, been routinely removed from firearm duties pending the outcome of the inquiry.
Royal protection officers routinely use the Austrian-made 9mm Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol.
It is known as a ‘safe action’ pistol but has been involved in a series of security incidents.
In June 2000 a protection officer accidentally fired two rounds while on the Royal Train carrying the Queen and Prince Philip.



A 2010 report found that police marksmen had fired their guns by mistake - known as ‘negligent discharge’ - more times over the previous three years than when responding to threats.

In one incident a policeman was accidentally shot dead and two others suffered chest and hand injuries.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said last night: ‘Shortly before 13:00hrs on Wednesday, 24 October, an on-duty MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) police officer unintentionally discharged a firearm while in an unmarked police vehicle. The round damaged the floor of the vehicle.

Another on-duty officer was in the vehicle at the time of the incident. Neither officer was injured.
‘The officers were on duty in North Wales. As a matter of course an internal inquiry is being carried out into the circumstances of the incident. The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed as a matter of course.

‘As is routine the officer concerned has been removed from firearms duty pending the outcome of
inquiries. '
A St James’s Palace spokesman declined to comment on the incident.
The Duke and Duchess spend the majority of the year on Anglesey but also have a London base, Kensington Palace.


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