In Piqua, Ohio, three police officers returning from the range after qualifying with their service weapons were struck by shrapnel when a gun discharged while it was being cleaned. All three officers were taken to the hospital.  The officer who was cleaning their gun apparently did not know the gun was loaded.

According to the police department, “although the muzzle was pointed straight down and the bullet disintegrated on impact with the cement floor, fragments, most likely from the bullet jacket — a thin piece of metal, usually copper, which surrounds the actual lead bullet — struck three officers who were in the room.”

Source:

Peter Curi, “3 Piqua PD Officers Injured in Accidental Discharge Incident,” wdtn.com (April 27, 2022).