CORINTH, Ky. (WKYT) - State Police said Owen County Sheriff Zemer Hammond daughter tried to kill him with his own handgun. They say it was sheer luck that spared his life.

"She had the gun pointed at his chest when she squeezed the trigger," said Kentucky State Police Trooper Brad Arterburn.

Heather Hammond is charged with attempted murder after police say she tried to shoot her father with his own service weapon.

"She got his Glock pistol out of his gun belt and went to a different room. When he found that it was missing, he went to find her, afraid she might hurt herself or someone else. When he went into the room where she was, she had the pistol pointed at him and she actually squeezed the trigger," said Trooper Arterburn.

Thankfully the gun jammed, something police say doesn't happen often.

"He's extremely lucky. We carry Glocks. Glocks don't jam a lot. This one did that time," said Trooper Arterburn.

This isn't the first time one of the sheriff's children has had legal trouble. His son, Joshua Hammond is facing a murder charge in Frankfort. He and two others are accused of killing Charles Monroe earlier this year. Police say Sheriff Hammond did everything right when it came to storing his gun. They say they don't see cases like this often.

Heather Hammond is scheduled to be arraigned next week.