How did off-duty Detroit police officer's holstered gun go off, killing woman?

DETROIT (WXYZ) - As a firearms expert Rick Ector of Rick’s Firearm Academy of Detroit trains people how to safely own, carry and fire handguns.

And he says the Michigan State Police forensics team’s investigation into this weekend’s tragic shooting death of a young woman at a fish fry will be an in-depth one that will focus on several different elements, including the holster the forty caliber handgun was being carried in.

There are two types of waistband holsters: one that is worn outside the waistband and another that is worn inside the waistband.

In the case of this shooting, an inside the waistband holster was being used.

Inside the waistband holsters are typically made of a much softer and more pliable material like Neoprene.

With these types of holsters the gun is clipped to the waistband and sits inside the person’s pants.

The question for investigators is: How did the victim, who reportedly approached the off-duty officer from behind, get her finger on the gun’s trigger while both the gun and the trigger were being protected by the holster.

The second issue Michigan State Police investigators will focus on is the positioning of the gun:  How was the gun positioned so that when it was fired the victim was hit in the chest.

On this point Ector asks, “How in the world can you shoot yourself in the chest with a gun that is protected by a holster and is pointing directly at the floor?  Not only that, but you are hit in the heart and you are grabbing this police officer from behind? It just doesn’t make any sense.”