Man in His 50s Who Picked Up Fallen Pistol and Pulled Trigger at Officer During Struggle Sentenced to Eight Years for Robbery

[Financial News] A man in his 50s who was being pursued on suspicion of robbery picked up a pistol that fell to the ground during a physical struggle with a police officer and pulled the trigger, court proceedings revealed.
According to legal sources on the 10th, the 11th Criminal Division of the Ulsan District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Park Dong-gyu, sentenced Mr. A to eight years in prison on charges including attempted murder and attempted special robbery.
In April this year, Mr. A was engaged in a physical struggle on the ground at an open lot in Nam-gu, Ulsan, after Police Officer B, who had been pursuing him, tackled him during the daytime.
During the struggle, the holster’s securing device attached to Officer B’s vest broke, causing the pistol to fall to the ground.
Believing that he would receive a lengthy prison sentence if apprehended, Mr. A picked up the pistol first and allegedly pulled the trigger at Officer B, who was three meters away, according to the investigation.
Fortunately, the gun did not fire because the trigger caught on the accidental-discharge prevention mechanism installed on the pistol.
Officer B immediately climbed on top of Mr. A, grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the pistol, and pinned him to the ground. Mr. A resisted without releasing the pistol, but he was subdued after other officers arrived about 10 minutes later and joined the effort. Officer B suffered injuries requiring two weeks of medical treatment.
The court stated, "The defendant’s actions nearly cost a police officer his life," adding, "Even in court, he has offered implausible excuses, such as claiming that he picked up the pistol to kill himself, without showing any remorse."
The court explained its reasons for the sentence, saying, "Although the defendant has multiple prior convictions, including robbery causing injury, sex offenses, and violations of the Road Traffic Act, he committed another offense during his repeat-offender period, demonstrating a markedly weak sense of lawfulness," and adding, "Severe punishment is necessary."
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