A firearm has a trigger shield configured as a protective loop surrounding a first and second switch of the firearm. Each switch actuates the function of the firearm when activated by a finger to start the firing process. The first switch is on a first side of the protective loop and the second switch is on a second side of the protective loop. Further, the firearm has an emitter mounted on the trigger shield that propagates a light beam to a receiver mounted on an opposite side of the trigger shield. When a finger depresses one of the switches, his/her finger is blocking the light beam and the firearm will not activate and when the finger is moved away from the light beam, the firearm discharges.