Article Originally Published Here.
On March 18, 2025, a routine day at Security Gate 4 on USAA’s San Antonio campus turned into a safety scare when a security officer’s service weapon unexpectedly discharged.
Surveillance video shows Officer Chuck Surles stepping out of the guard station when his SIG Sauer P320 pistol suddenly fired. The bullet struck the sidewalk, sending concrete flying.
“One of my co-workers, Chuck Surles, came out of the guard shack, and after he exited, his gun just went off,” said fellow security guard Matthew Gill.
Gill recalls feeling a burning sensation on his face from flying shrapnel. He says his corporal was also hit with a small piece of metal.
A Pattern of Incidents?
Gill says the P320 fired without a trigger pull—and this wasn’t the first time. He says he was warned about the pistol when he joined USAA, citing a 2021 incident where another officer was shot in the leg. He also mentioned a third discharge at a firing range in September of this year.
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Gill claims he raised concerns with USAA about the weapon’s safety, but was later fired for speaking out. Over the past year, similar reports have surfaced in La Grange, Marble Falls, and Houston, where officers say their P320s discharged unexpectedly.
USAA and SIG Sauer Respond
USAA issued a statement:
“We have no greater priority than the safety of our employees. Two weapons that were unintentionally discharged were thoroughly assessed by the weapon manufacturer, a forensics lab, and USAA, and no evidence of a mechanical failure was found in either instance.”
SIG Sauer echoed that position:
“The P320 can only fire when the trigger is pulled. We stand behind USAA’s findings and will continue to support their mission to keep employees safe.”
Legal Perspective
Attorney Jeff Bagnell, who has litigated P320 cases, disagrees:
“I think they both fired without a trigger pull,” Bagnell said. “Knowing the history of this gun, it’s highly unlikely these officers pulled the trigger while the gun was fully holstered.”
Bagnell says there have been over 400 incidents nationwide involving the P320 discharging without a trigger pull, across 46 states. He says many of those incidents involved trained police officers who are experienced at handling weapons.
What’s Next?
Several Texas police departments have already removed the P320 from service. Gill hopes USAA will do the same:
“Fix it. It’s a good weapon, but it’s faulty,” Gill said. “There’s a fault there somewhere.”
