“He says he did not touch the trigger, but only the grip,” the court record states, painting a picture of a weapon that fired despite the officer’s adherence to standard safety protocols.
The incident occurred as Slatowski was preparing to draw his weapon after completing approximately four magazines of training rounds. According to court documents, the officer had reloaded his weapon and properly holstered it before the unexpected discharge that would launch years of litigation.
Central to Slatowski’s lawsuit is the P320’s unique design characteristics that distinguish it from traditional law enforcement firearms. Unlike double-action pistols that require the trigger to both cock and release the firing mechanism, the P320 operates as a single-action weapon with what experts describe as an unusually sensitive trigger system.
Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas, writing for the three-judge panel, explained the technical complexity: “Like a coiled spring in a mousetrap, the cocked firing mechanism stores explosive energy, requiring less of a tug on the trigger.”
