By Nicole Hensley
Houston Chronicle
HOUSTON — An AR-15 rifle wielded by a Houston police officer mistakenly fired into the floor at the baggage area of Hobby Airport on Thursday night, according to authorities.
The on-duty officer was patrolling the airport when the semi-automatic rifle went off around 8:15 p.m. at the southeast Houston travel hub, Houston police Capt. Jerome Stevens said during a press conference.
He said three airport employees and two civilians were in the baggage area when the rifle fired. No one was hurt, Stevens added.
The officer was in an office at the airport waiting to give a statement about the shooting as Stevens spoke. An investigation would determine if he was negligent in his handling of the weapon.
“As far as I understand it, (the gun) was not dropped,” Stevens said.
A yellow sign that typically warns of slick floors was used to cover the bullet hole left by the gunfire near baggage carousel three.