Woman killed after off-duty Detroit officer's gun goes off

"Somehow in the course of dancing with the individual to his rear and touching his waist, his Detroit Police Department issued weapon discharged one time," Police Chief Ralph Godbee said Monday.  "There is absolutely no indication, number one, that the officer placed his hand on his weapon at all."

Godbee did his best to explain what he describes as a tragic accident, the death of 24-year-old Adaisha Miller.  She was shot and killed early Sunday morning during a fish fry at the home of off-duty Officer Isaac Parrish on the 12000 block of Archdale.

"He is very remorseful of the incident and the tragic nature of this young lady losing her life in the matter that she did," Godbee said.

Police say this 16 year veteran officer had the Smith and Wesson M&P .40 caliber handgun in a soft neoprene holster.  It was on his waist when it somehow accidentally fired.

"It is possible still for the trigger to be manipulated with that type of holster," said Godbee.

The victim's family members say they just can't make sense of it, and neither can gun expert Rick Ector, who showed us the exact same gun in a neoprene holster.

"How do you bypass this holster to get at the trigger?" he said while repeatedly tapping on it.  "I haven't figured it out."

Detroit Police have a lot to figure out.  Internal Affairs is investigating.  One unanswered question is how was the victim shot in the chest when a gun is typically pointed down.

The officer involved is on administrative duties.