COLUMBUS, Ohio — December 9, 2024 — David Pearson, a former firearms instructor, has been sentenced to six months in jail and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to negligent homicide in the fatal shooting of Lt. Rodney Osborne during a training exercise in April.
The tragic incident occurred on April 9, 2024, at a state corrections facility in Pickaway County. During a firearms training session, Pearson, 45, was demonstrating techniques when his gun discharged a live round, striking Lt. Osborne in the chest. Investigative reports revealed that Pearson had mistakenly believed the training session involved only blank ammunition.
At the time of the incident, Osborne, a 43-year-old officer with over 15 years of service in the state corrections department, was performing a “mirror drill” under Pearson’s instruction. The drill involved both the instructor and the student performing the same actions simultaneously. When Pearson drew his weapon, it unexpectedly discharged, resulting in Osborne’s fatal injury.
“I thought I was clear. I thought I was good. I thought it was clean,” Pearson told investigators after the incident, asserting that he did not intend to cause harm and believed the environment was safe.
Following the shooting, Lt. Osborne was transported to a local hospital but was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. He was well-regarded for his work with the special operations team at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility.
Pearson was initially charged with negligent homicide and entered a guilty plea on December 9 in a Franklin County courtroom. As part of his plea agreement, he faces a sentence of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, with formal sentencing scheduled for January 2025.
This case has raised serious concerns about firearms safety protocols during training exercises, particularly regarding the use of live ammunition. Experts have pointed to the critical need for instructors to ensure that all weapons are verified as unloaded before any training session.
Pearson’s attorney did not comment after the guilty plea but indicated that Pearson deeply regrets the tragic event. While Lt. Osborne’s family has not made a public statement, sources close to them have expressed relief that the case has reached a conclusion.
