The Temple Police Department is investigating an attempted kidnapping from Lake Belton Middle School Wednesday, in which a police officer's gun reportedly discharged accidentally as officers were arresting the suspect following a chase.
Police say they got a call at 12:50 p.m. from the principal of Lake Belton Middle School about a 44-year-old woman who went into her biological child's classroom and tried to kidnap the child. Police say the woman does not currently have custody of the child.
When a school resource officer tried to stop the woman, she took off. The officer was able to keep the child at the school, but the woman fled in a blue Dodge pickup.
The resource officer chased after her to the Cefco gas station on 6th Ave. in Belton. Temple and Belton PD officers also responded. As officers attempted to arrest the woman at the gas station, she is accused of resisting. As officers were approaching the suspect's vehicle, police report a Temple PD officer's gun "unintentionally" discharged. No one was hurt.
The woman was arrested and is set to be charged with evading arrest and attempted kidnapping at the Bell County Jail.
It's too early to determine if the officer whose gun discharged will be put on administrative leave or not. Police are still investigating. As per policy, any discharge of a gun will be investigated, with the results of the investigation being forwarded to the department's firearms discharge review board.
