An off-duty FBI agent who accidentally shot a man after doing a backflip at a Denver bar will avoid jail time after pleading guilty to third-degree assault.
Chase Bishop, 30, entered into a plea deal with prosecutors Friday and was sentenced to two years of probation, The Denver Post reported. He was also fined $1,200 and ordered to pay restitution to the victim.
“My whole goal in life is to care, protect and serve people,” Bishop said in court. “I never expected the result of my actions to lead to something like this.”
The shooting was reported around 12:45 a.m. June 2 at the Mile High Spirits Distillery and Tasting Bar in Denver's Lower Downtown neighborhood, according to previous Cox Media reports.
KMGH-TV obtained a video clip showing Bishop dancing before doing a backflip that slung a gun out from a holster in his waistband. As Bishop picks it up, a bright flash indicates the gun going off.
Tom Reddington, a 24-year-old Amazon warehouse employee, was struck in the leg and suffered permanent injury, The Denver Post reported.
Bishop will serve his probation in Georgia. He had been in Denver on FBI business and was off-duty at the time of the shooting. FBI spokeswoman Kelsey Pietranton declined to say if he would continue to work at the agency.
In court Friday, Reddington spoke about the impact the shooting has had on his life, including experiencing chronic pain, undergoing months of physical therapy and losing his job. However, he said he doesn't hold a personal grudge against Bishop.
“I’ve done stupid things at bars to impress girls, too,” Reddington said.
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