SANSOM PARK, Texas — A North Texas police officer is still recovering after being shot in the face during a training exercise nearly a week ago. Now, a state agency has gotten involved and issued suspensions related to the training.
Officer Lina Mino, 29, of the Sansom Park Police Department, was shot during an active shooter training at an elementary school on Nov. 5. The training was hosted by the Forest Hill Police Department.
WFAA also obtained a flyer of the event that stated the training was being instructed by Paul Gaumond, who, according to his lawyer, has been a reserve deputy constable for Johnson County Precinct 2 for 16 years.
Forest Hill police said this wasn't a live-fire training and that they don’t know how a loaded weapon was introduced.
Mino was released from the ICU this week and faces a long road to recovery, according to police.
While the investigation into what happened continues, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement has issued a response.
In a statement to WFAA, the state agency said it suspended both the training contract of the Forest Hill Police Department and Gaumond's instructor certificate, effective Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022.
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement is tasked with "ensuring that law enforcement personnel in Texas are well trained, and that includes ensuring that training is conducted in a safe environment."
The Texas Rangers and the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office are investigating the incident.
An online fundraising campaign was set up for Mino to help pay for medical expenses. A t-shirt fundraiser is also being organized.