SPOKANE, Wash. – A class action lawsuit has been filed against gunmaker Sig Sauer over incidents of unintended discharges, including one locally documented in Spokane.
The Spokane incident took place at the police department’s shooting range last October during a police academy session. The class was engaged in a firearms shooting drill at Northeast Regional Academy when a recruit drew their Sig Sauer P-320 and the gun immediately self-discharged.
The bullet hit the concrete ground, but fragments struck an instructor and another recruit standing behind the recruit with the gun. According to the instructor’s report, the gun fired immediately, and the recruit’s trigger finger was not on the trigger or in the trigger guard.
Efforts to reach out to Spokane police for comment on the incident have not yet received a response.
In February, the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission issued a notice following several reports of similar incidents. The commission banned the use of Sig’s P-320, M-17 and M-18 models on all properties they own or lease.
The class action lawsuit against Sig Sauer, originating in western Washington, accuses the company of selling defective P-320s without external safety features and misleading consumers through marketing. The suit claims that multiple law enforcement agencies and ICE have ceased using the gun due to safety concerns.
Sig Sauer is offering a voluntary free upgrade for the weapon. Customers can go to their website and input their serial number for the upgrade.
The man who initiated the lawsuit is seeking damages, injunctive relief and an order for the company to issue a repair.
