DENVER – An FBI agent who's accused of inadvertently shooting a bystander at a Denver bar earlier this month has turned himself in and has been formally charged with second-degree assault.
Records show Chase Bishop, 29, was booked into the downtown Denver jail on Tuesday. He'd originally been held on the charge, but was formally charged Tuesday with the single assault count, which is a fourth-degree felony.
Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said Bishop could face more charges depending on the results of a blood alcohol content test, which have not yet been received by her office.
“We are filing this charge now rather than waiting until the BAC report is received, which we understand could take another week, because sufficient evidence has been presented to file it,” McCann said in a statement. “If an additional charge needs to be filed after further evidence is received, we can file those charges then.”
Bishop, a Washington D.C.-based FBI agent visiting Denver for training, was dancing at Mile High Spirits in the morning on June 2 when he did a backflip and the gun fell from its holster, as seen in video from the scene. As Bishop bent down to pick up the gun, it fired, hitting a bystander in the leg.
The victim, Tom Reddington, 24, sustained a nonlethal gunshot wound to the leg. Reddington's lawyer said they are looking at the possibility of a lawsuit against the FBI.
Bishop is scheduled to be advised of the charge Wednesday morning in Denver District Court.