A policeman patrolling Regent Street caused quite a commotion yesterday when he accidentally shot himself in the hip.

Officer Ron Peters of 225 ‘C’ Field Sophia was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital nursing the injury to his hip. His condition was listed as stable.

The incident occurred at Alexander and Regent streets and according to reports, the policeman was holding the trigger of his automatic weapon and was unaware the safety was off when the gun went off.

“I see he holding de trigger and wondering why they does have to do that. Then next thing I hear is a gunshot. When he pass me I de studying duh same thing”, an eyewitness told Stabroek News.

Many persons on Regent Street initially believed the gunshot had sounded in the vicinity of the C&F Meat Centre and news quickly spread that a shooting had occurred there. But several minutes later they discovered it was the police who had shot himself.

Quite a few persons expressed concern that an innocent shopper, passer-by, or even a child could have been hurt in the incident.

Armed patrols in the shopping areas started last year following a spate of armed robberies at stores, particularly in the Regent Street area.