LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. -- Police said a Lancaster County sheriff's deputy was off-duty and waiting for lunch when his personal firearm discharged inside a restaurant.

Investigators said people inside the restaurant were very lucky.

Ricky Hopkins said his ears are still ringing. His wife, Robin, said the gunshot was the loudest noise she's ever heard.

"You looked around, and that's what everyone was doing, holding their ears because it was so loud," she said.

The couple and their kids were standing in line to order lunch at a Taco Bell on the Lancaster Bypass when there was a deafening blast right beside them.

"The gun went off, I mean, it just exploded. Big, loud noise, everybody started grabbing their ears and hollering," said Ricky Hopkins.

In all the chaos, restaurant patrons discovered the identity of the man with the gun.

"Somebody mentioned calling the police, and he said he was the police," said Ricky Hopkins.

It was Lancaster County sheriff's Deputy Kevin Webster. He was off duty, and carrying his own personal handgun when it somehow accidentally fired.

After asking if anyone was hurt, he left and called the sheriff's office.

Someone at Taco Bell got his tag number, and Detective Tim Witherspoon said Lancaster police didn't know at first who they were looking for.

"While we were en route, they spotted a car on the bypass and initiated a traffic stop, and found out it was a deputy," said Witherspoon.

It's not clear how the gun went off, but Robin Hopkins thinks it had to be the way the deputy was carrying it.

"I couldn't believe it. I was wondering why he didn't have it in a holster on his side. Why was it in his pocket?" she said.

"It's a wonder he didn't blow his leg off, or somebody in front of him or somebody behind him. It's a wonder it didn't hurt somebody bad," said Ricky Hopkins.

A teenage girl was hit in the leg either by the bullet, or a piece of debris. Doctors said she will be OK.

Webster is on leave until an internal investigation is done. There are no charges currently pending against him.