An unfortunate series of events

Soldier was firing blanks towards the officer, and the officer probably panicked and fired back; thinking they were being shot at.

For those unaware: blank rounds / blanks is a special type of ammunition you can use in a real firearm that doesn’t have a projectile (ie the bullet). Military and police use blanks to simulate real ammo being fired out of the gun so they get used to the bang, mechanics of the firearm, having to reload, fixing jams, etc.

Other than the actual bullet, there are only a few noticeable differences between real ammo and blanks:

• The firearm has to be modified to be able to use the blanks. Usually they put a bright yellow plug at the end of the barrel. It helps the firearm function properly, and will catch a bullet in case live ammunition is used
• The bang is a bit louder.

From the officers perspective: they got calls saying there was a shooter. They arrive on scene, and someone starts shooting at them. I’d shit my pants too and shoot back