Man guarding recruitment center accidentally fires shot

LANCASTER – No one was injured in an accidental shooting near a U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Center on Thursday.

An armed volunteer guarding the U.S. Army Recruiting Center accidentally fired a shot just after noon, according to Lancaster police.

Christopher Reed, 28, of Lancaster, is one of the volunteers who have been guarding the Lancaster recruiting site following the shooting and killing of five service members at an unguarded recruiting center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, last week.

The volunteers were a group of citizens who are guarding recruiting centers across the country. Their goal is to not stop guarding the recruiting centers until members of the military at recruiting centers were able to arm themselves for protection.

According to a Lancaster police report, the shooting occurred between 11:30 a.m. and 12:01 p.m. outside the recruiting office, 1534 River Valley Circle.

"I was out here and was talking to a guy who wanted to look at my AR-15," said Reed in an interview with the Eagle-Gazette. "I was trying to clear the weapon and hand it over to him when it went off. I thought it was empty and must have missed it."

Reed said he had the gun pointed down at the time and the bullet hit the pavement.

"Listen, it was a mistake. No one was injured and I owned up to it immediately with the police," Reed said. "I'm glad no one was hurt. I am willing to take the punishment."

The Lancaster police report said the "only damage done was a hole in the pavement."

The police report also said that Reed had said several people "were standing in the area, but they left prior to (the police officer's) arrival and he doesn't know who they were."

Volunteers, including Reed, were back in front of the Lancaster recruiting center after the incident, many carrying sidearms and some with rifles.

Reed, carrying a sidearm Thursday afternoon, said they intended to stay in front of the recruiting station until the military could carry weapons to protect themselves.

The police confiscated the AR-15 and issued Reed a citation for discharging a firearm in the city limits, which is a fourth-degree misdemeanor. He is scheduled to appear in Fairfield County Municipal Court on July 28.

The police report indicated the police would keep his gun until he appears in municipal court.