North Myrtle Beach Police officer shot by his own rifle now suing the gun maker

A North Myrtle Beach Police officer, who accidentally shot himself while responding to a mass shooting in Little River in 2025, claims that the gun manufacturer Sig Sauer is responsible for his injury, according to a new federal lawsuit.

Sgt. William Norton was at Harbourgate Marina in North Myrtle Beach with several other officers when his gun unintentionally discharged. The officers were accessing a boat to take them over to a dock on Watson Avenue, where a mass shooting on a party boat had been reported.

The round hit Norton in his upper left thigh and traveled down to his foot, causing Norton to undergo extensive surgery, according to the lawsuit that was filed in Federal District Court in Florence on Wednesday.

Norton accused Sig Saur of negligence, claiming the manufacturer did not do its duty in making sure the rifle wouldn’t discharge without intentionally pulling the trigger. Norton is seeking compensatory and punitive damages against Sig Sauer.

Norton’s wife, Chrisit Norton, also sued the gun manufacturer for loss of consortium.

Sig Sauer did not respond to The Sun News’ request for comment.

Gun discharged while in route to mass shooting

Norton and other North Myrtle Beach police officers were instructed to take a boat down the Intracoastal Waterway to assist Horry County Police officers.

The shooting on May 25, 2025, happened on a charter boat that was docked at a marina in Little River. The boat had been rented for a private event when around 9:30 p.m., someone began shooting while people were starting to disembark from the boat, The Sun News previously reported. Eleven people were injured, and 10 people had gunshot wounds.

Norton arrived at Harbourgate Marina in North Myrtle Beach with his rifle positioned in front of him. As he approached the marina’s gate, Norton looked at the gun to confirm the safety was on. He then used both of his hands to open the gate when “his M400 rifle suddenly and unexpectedly discharged twice,” according to the lawsuit.

The first round struck the water a few feet from him, but the second round hit his upper left leg. Norton, not knowing where the gunshot came from, tried to run for cover when his body collapsed. The other officers found Norton, and he was transported to two different hospitals to undergo surgery.

Norton claims gun was defective

The rifle Norton used that night contained “design and/or manufacturing defects that permitted the rifle to discharge unintentionally,” according to the lawsuit.

Sig Sauer’s M400 rifle comes with a “safety selector” that allows the user to rotate a switch 90 degrees, according to the gun’s operator’s manual. When the switch is in the “SAFE” position, it prevents the gun from firing.

Norton in the lawsuit claims he double-checked to make sure the switch was set to safe before approaching the gate. Myrtle Beach Police Department previously told The Sun News that a video verified that Norton had both of his hands elsewhere and was not attempting to use his weapon.

This is not the first time Sig Saur has been sued for negligence. In 2019, the manufacturer was sued by an Horry County man, who said his handgun had unexpectedly discharged while he was in a Chick-fil-A.

The man’s gun was in his waistband when it went off without being touched, according to previous reporting by The Sun News.

The aftermath of the shooting

Since the incident, Norton continued to suffer from his injuries, according to the lawsuit.

After he accidentally shot himself, Norton underwent two surgeries. While he was in the hospital, his wound reopened, requiring more treatment. The lawsuit claims Norton will continue to need medical care for his leg and may be unable to return to work.

Norton retired from the North Myrtle Beach Police Department in September 2025, a spokesperson told The Sun News.