Police officer indicted for accidentally shooting former USFK sergeant

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Sat, September 23, 2023 | 12:49

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EXCLUSIVEPolice officer indicted 3 years after accidental shooting of ex-USFK sergeant

Posted : 2023-05-10 11:17

Updated : 2023-05-11 14:04

Arnold Samberg, 66, a retired U.S. Air Force tech sergeant, sobs during an interview with The Korea Times in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, March 3, recalling the day he was shot by a stray bullet fired by a Korean police officer who was attempting to shoot an aggressive dog. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

By Lee Hyo-jin

A local police officer who accidentally shot a retired U.S. Air Force tech sergeant in the jaw three years ago while trying to subdue a dog, was indicted earlier this week, according to the prosecutors' office.

The victim, Arnold Samberg, 66, welcomed the indictment in the investigation that was launched in 2020. Samberg is a retired United States Forces Korea (USFK) soldier who lives in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.

An official at the Pyeongtaek branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office told The Korea Times, Tuesday, that prosecutors indicted the police officer on charges of professional negligence resulting in injuries. If convicted, the officer could face up to five years in prison or up to a 20 million won ($15,000) fine.

"At this point, I just feel numb," Samberg told The Korea Times, Wednesday. "It took so long for the indictment. It's been a long time coming, and I hope justice is served … I've been an emotional, mental and physical wreck since the shooting."

The male police officer surnamed Han, is accused of accidentally shooting Samberg while responding to a vicious dog that attacked a pedestrian and a dog in Pyeongtaek on March 26, 2020. The police officer fired a bullet at the canine, but the projectile ricocheted off the ground and struck the right side of Samberg's face, who was on the opposite side of the street.

Han was a patrol officer from Songtan Police Station at the time of the incident, but is currently working at Pyeongtaek Police Station.

The shooting left Samberg with severe injuries, requiring him to undergo multiple surgeries to reconstruct his jaw.

During a March interview with The Korea Times, Samberg claimed that the shooting had inflicted long-lasting damage on his physical and mental health, saying that he can hardly chew or talk due to the pain.

Samberg and his family protested strongly that the investigation had been dragging on for three years without meaningful progress, raising speculation that the law enforcement authorities were purposely doing so in an effort to minimize the liability of the police. At the time of the interview, the Sambergs were yet to be informed regarding whether Han would face legal proceedings or a suspension from his duties.

Anseong Police Station, which opened an initial investigation against Han in 2020, concluded the case with a non-referral opinion in 2021, meaning that the officer's actions were legally justified.

However, after the case was delivered to the Pyeongtaek branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office in June of that year, the prosecutors requested a reinvestigation.

lhj@koreatimes.co.kr