It was belatedly revealed through a court trial that a robbery suspect picked up a pistol that dropped during a physical struggle with a police officer and pulled the trigger toward the officer in a terrifying close call.

Fortunately, a misfire prevention device attached to the pistol's trigger prevented a severe loss of life.

According to legal circles on September 10, the Ulsan District Court Criminal Division 11 (Presiding Judge Park Dong-gyu) recently sentenced a man in his 50s, identified as Defendant, who was put on trial for charges including attempted murder and attempted special robbery, to eight years in prison.

In April of this year, Defendant engaged in a physical struggle, rolling on the ground in a vacant lot in Nam-gu, Ulsan, after Police Officer B, who was pursuing him, tackled him from behind.

During this process, the fixing device of the holster attached to Officer B's vest broke, causing the pistol to fall to the ground.

Defendant, who had a criminal record, believed he would face heavy punishment if caught like this. He grabbed the fallen pistol first and pulled the trigger toward Officer B, who was 3 meters away.

However, the trigger caught on the misfire prevention device, and the bullet did not fire.

Without missing that moment, Officer B climbed on top of Defendant, pinned him down, grabbed the wrist holding the pistol, and pressed it against the ground so he could not move.

Defendant violently resisted and refused to let go of the pistol, but he was completely subdued about 10 minutes later when other police officers who arrived at the scene joined in.

Previously, Defendant had been pursued after committing a robbery in broad daylight the day before.

At that time, when a woman opened the driver's side door of a parked vehicle and got in, Defendant immediately opened the passenger door on the opposite side, got in with her, threatened her with a weapon, and forced her to drive to a secluded place.

Upon reaching the parking lot of a lodging facility, he attempted to tie the woman's hands and feet.

However, as the woman resisted by honking the car horn multiple times and screaming, Defendant struck her in the face, confined her, attempted to rob her of valuables, and then fled.

The police tracked the vehicle Defendant used to escape and placed it on a wanted list. Upon confirming that the vehicle was captured by the Wanted Vehicle Searching System (WASS), Officer B pursued Defendant, leading to the physical struggle.

Defendant committed these crimes about three months after being released from prison having served a prison sentence for gambling offenses, and Officer B sustained injuries requiring two weeks of medical treatment.

The court stated, "The defendant's crime could easily have cost a police officer his life," adding, "Even in court, without showing any attitude of remorse, he is making hard-to-believe excuses, such as claiming he picked up the pistol to commit suicide."

The court further explained the reasoning for the sentencing, stating, "Despite having multiple past convictions for punishments such as robbery resulting in injury, sex crimes, and violations of the Road Traffic Act, the defendant committed crimes again during the recidivism period, showing a remarkably weak sense of law-abidingness," and added, "Severe punishment is necessary."

(Photo: Yonhap News)