Firearms instructor unintentionally shoots rifle into neighbor’s house

Denver sheriff’s deputy will be suspended for 14 days over the “egregious” incident

A Denver Sheriff Department firearms instructor unintentionally fired a rifle into his neighbor’s kitchen in August, according to a disciplinary letter released Wednesday.

Deputy David Steckman will be suspended for 14 days over the incident, according to the Dec. 14 letter. Steckman, a firearms instructor and 27-year employee of the sheriff’s department, unintentionally fired the gun while in the bedroom of his Commerce City home on Aug. 21.

The bullet shot through his bedroom wall and into his neighbor’s kitchen, according to the disciplinary letter. Steckman told investigators he was practicing how to handle the rifle if it were to malfunction and going through the steps of a “malfunction drill.” The rifle was loaded and had a round in the chamber, but Steckman failed to check the chamber. And when he completed the drill and pulled the rifle’s trigger, the gun fired.

Steckman said he immediately put the rif le down and went to check on his neighbors. Then he called Commerce City police to report the incident. No one was hurt. Steckman was issued a ticket for illegally discharging a weapon. Sheriff’s department leadership was alerted about the incident that night.

“That Deputy Steckman failed to perform basic firearm safety measures before tampering with a rifle in a residential area is simply alarming,” the disciplinary letter reads. “In short, his inattention indicates that he was careless in his handling of a firearm. … Furthermore, Deputy Steckman is a firearms instructor at the range for DSD — that he failed to adhere to (and) observe basic firearm precautions is egregious.”

Steckman could not be reached for comment Thursday. He told investigators that he was “extremely thankful that no one was injured,” and that he has since moved his guns to the basement of his home.

The 14- day suspension will start Jan. 30.