Alfred Callahan III, Southampton police dispatcher, fires gun accidentally in car; bullet stopped by passenger's wallet, cops say

A Southampton Village police dispatcher was charged almost a month after he accidentally fired his handgun while in a moving car in Water Mill, wounding his hand and striking a passenger, whose wallet stopped the bullet, authorities said Thursday.

Arrested and charged Wednesday with reckless endangerment was Alfred Callahan III, 37, of Southampton, according to a news release issued by the Southampton Town Police Department. He was released and is due in court at a later date.

The release said  the shooting happened Sept. 14 before 10 a.m., as Callahan tried to unload the weapon, which he legally possessed, in order to secure it.

"The weapon discharged a bullet which struck Mr. Callahan in his hand, traveled through his hand and lodged in the wallet located in the pocket of a passenger in the vehicle," the release said.

The passenger sustained a bruise, according to Det. Sgt. Gina Laferrera of the town police force, which found out about the shooting after the hospital called the police. She said the wallet has a strong underside that stopped the bullet.

Callahan has been on leave since the shooting, according to Suzanne Hurteau, chief of the village police, who said he has been on the job for about four years. She said the department is conducting its own investigation to decide if he’ll be disciplined.

Callahan didn’t return messages seeking comment. The passenger's identity was not released.

Callahan is a former fire chief, according to Ryan Murphy, the town emergency management administrator.

Laferrera said Callahan is recovering and the case took about a month to investigate while witnesses were interviewed.

"I believe he is on the mend," she said.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.