Raritan Township, NJ — A firearms training session at a police department in Hunterdon County ended with an unexpected gun discharge Friday, leaving one officer with a minor injury, according to the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office. Officials say a single round was fired at the conclusion of training, but no one was struck by the bullet.
The incident occurred on Friday, May 1, 2026, inside the Raritan Township Police Department facility, prompting an active investigation into how the discharge happened.
Officer injured despite no gunshot wounds
Authorities said the injury was not caused by the bullet itself but by the handgun’s slide during the discharge. The officer’s injury was described as minor, and no additional injuries were reported.
The discharge happened after firearms training had concluded, a detail now central to investigators examining whether proper safety protocols were followed in the moments leading up to the incident.
Prosecutor’s office leading investigation
The Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed it is handling the investigation but has not released further details about the officer involved or the exact circumstances surrounding the discharge.
No information has been provided about whether the firearm malfunctioned or if human error may have played a role.
—
Key Points
• Single gunshot fired inside Raritan Township Police Department during training
• One officer suffered minor injury from handgun slide, no one shot
• Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office investigating incident
—