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“Why don’t you let me have your weapon, Payne?” he asked.
“Oh, yes, of course. I forgot.”
He handed the Colt to McGuire butt-first as three uniforms and two men who were dressed much like those they hoped to arrest for illegal trafficking in controlled substances ran up to them, pistols in hand.
McGuire removed the clip, counted the rounds it held, then worked the action and ejected the round in the chamber.
Matt reached into the breast pocket of the dinner jacket, came out with another magazine, and handed it to McGuire.
“This is the magazine, now empty, that was in my weapon,” he said. “And somewhere over there is a live round I inadvertently ejected when this started.”
“The crime scene people will find it,” McGuire said.
Holding Matt’s pistol carefully by the checkering on the wooden grips, he started to put it in the pocket of his suit coat.
“I think you’re supposed to give that back to me,” Matt said.
“What?”
“Regulations state that the first supervisor to reach the scene of an incident like this is to take the weapon used from the officer who used it, remove the magazine, count the remaining rounds, take possession of that magazine, then return the weapon to the officer, who will then load a fresh magazine into his weapon and return it to his holster.”
“Sergeant, this is evidence,” McGuire said.
“With all respect, sir, that is not what the regulations say.”
“Shut up, Sergeant,” McGuire said.
“Yes, sir,” Sergeant Payne said.
A Fire Rescue ambulance began backing into the parking lot.
A Sixth District lieutenant, a very large man, came running up.
“My name is McGuire,” McGuire said. “Dignitary Protection Unit. I’m the first supervisor on the scene.”
“I’ve seen you around,” the Sixth District lieutenant said.
“I have relieved Sergeant Payne of his weapon, and am now going to transport him to Internal Affairs.”
“You’re the shooter, Sergeant?” the lieutenant asked.
“I think all the questions to him are supposed to be asked by Internal Affairs,” McGuire said. “Nevins will tell you what we know. Will you come with me, please, Sergeant Payne?”
“Yes, sir.”
Lieutenant McGuire put his hand on Sergeant Payne’s arm and walked with him through the parking lot to where the unmarked Dignitary Protection Crown Victoria sat, its engine running and its headlights and concealed blue flashers still on.
He put Matt in the backseat but didn’t close the door.
Nevins came to the car a moment later.
“You drive, Al,” McGuire said. “I’ll ride in the back with Payne.”
They exchanged questioning glances, then shrugged, and then Nevins got behind the wheel, and McGuire got in the backseat with Matt.
TWENTY-ONE
In Philadelphia, any discharge-even accidental- of a police officer’s weapon is investigated by the Internal Affairs Unit. Even if the discharge of the police officer’s weapon results in a death, Internal Affairs still retains the weapon results in a death, Internal Affairs still retains the responsibility for, and authority to, conduct the investigation. The Homicide Division “assists.”
