Injured Canadian Soldier Suing Federal Government, US Gunmaker Over Accidental Pistol Discharge

An attendee takes in the look and feel of a SIG Sauer P320, also known as the C22, at the CANSEC trade show, billed as North America’s largest multi-service defence event, in Ottawa, on June 1, 2023. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

A member of the Canadian Armed Forces has launched a lawsuit against the federal government and gun manufacturer Sig Sauer after he was wounded by an unexpected discharge of his pistol.

Master Warrant Officer Jamie Deslaurier said his C22 pistol, the Canadian variant of the P320, went off while in his holster and hit his foot in 2024. Deslaurier told CBC News that he had planned to stay in the military for 25 years to get a full pension, but his career was cut short by the injury.

Deslaurier is seeking $4 million in damages from the American firearms company and $3 million from the federal government, according to his statement of claim. The filing argues that the Canadian government proceeded with the procurement of the handgun despite being aware of issues with it discharging without the trigger being pulled.

This is the second incident involving the handgun in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). In 2020, a Joint Task Force 2 member also accidentally shot himself with a C22 during training.

Sig Sauer worked with the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command following that incident. It said the gun had discharged because its holster was not designed for a P320, but it has been found to be safe.

When asked to provide comment on the matter, the CAF told The Epoch Times that it would be “inappropriate” to comment while the case is before the courts.

In August of last year, the CAF had told The Epoch Times there had been “no misfires” of the C22 or C24 pistols since they were introduced in 2023, and thousands of soldiers have received training and expended millions of rounds of ammunition.

The military added that it was continuing to monitor all the “objective evidence available” around the gun, while performing internal technical testing.

Earlier last year, the U.S. Air Force announced it was investigating the death of a 21-year-old airman in a fatal shooting. The Air Force Global Strike Command, a major division of the U.S. Air Force, had also announced following the death that it was suspending the use of the M18 pistol, which is based on the P320.

A 2022 class-action lawsuit against Sig Sauer around its pistol was rejected, but a man in the U.S. state of Georgia was awarded $2.3 million in damages in 2024 after being shot by his gun without pulling the trigger.

In March 2025, a group of police officers, military veterans, and civilians also filed 22 civil lawsuits against Sig Sauer, alleging the gun fired without the trigger being pulled and had caused serious injuries.

Sig Sauer said in a statement in July 2025 that the P320 remained one of the “safest, most advanced pistols in the world,” exceeding all industry safety standards.