MARBLE FALLS, TX — A group of Brackenridge Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) students quickly responded to help a Marble Falls School Resource Officer (SRO) who sustained an injury following a negligent discharge of his firearm. The incident occurred near the visitor parking area of Marble Falls High School, just before a football game.
According to Marble Falls Independent School District (MFISD), the officer’s firearm discharged while holstered, causing a leg injury. Fortunately, the injury was not life-threatening, but quick-thinking students Jonathon Huerta, Ethan, and Josiah were on hand to offer critical aid.
Ethan described the moment he sprang into action: “I put my arm around him, he put his arm around me, and I pulled it. He was like, ‘dial 911,’ and I dialed it.” The students worked together to apply a tourniquet to the officer’s leg, which likely prevented the injury from worsening. Emergency responders arrived shortly after, and the officer was transported to the hospital by helicopter.
The exact cause of the discharge is unclear, but negligent discharges often result from trigger manipulation or objects getting caught in the trigger guard. In this case, the gun discharged while seated in its holster, raising the possibility that the officer may have been holstering or adjusting the firearm while seated in his vehicle.
Firearm Safety and Emergency Preparedness
This incident highlights the importance of minimizing administrative handling of firearms, particularly in confined spaces such as vehicles. Holstering and unholstering should be done with care to reduce the risk of a negligent discharge, ensuring nothing interferes with the trigger guard.
The students’ decisive action also underscores the value of having basic trauma care knowledge. Their quick application of a tourniquet illustrates how immediate medical intervention can make all the difference in controlling severe bleeding. Firearm owners, especially, should consider carrying a trauma kit and receiving training in first aid courses like Stop the Bleed or TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care) to be prepared for emergencies.
The students’ actions not only helped stabilize the officer but also demonstrated the importance of basic first aid training for young people—a skill set that could prove useful in many situations.
