Woman accidentally killed by Florida officer during roleplaying exercise

[Recursion]

Source: Chicago Tribune

Police in Florida say a woman has been accidentally shot to death by an officer during a citizens academy exercise.

Multiple media outlets report that Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis says Mary Knowlton was taking part in a roleplaying scenario Tuesday when she was "mistakenly struck with a live round."

Lewis says Knowlton was chosen from about 35 people in the class for a "shoot/don't shoot" simulation. He says she was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The officer involved has not been identified and is on administrative leave pending a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation, Lewis says.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-florida-police-shooting-accident-20160809-story,amp.html

[truthisfreedom]

1. "mistakenly struck with a live round."

As opposed to... purposefully struck with a non-live round?

[Stuart G]

2. ??????????????????????????..what kind of crap???????????????

[brett_jv]

3. Where else ... but Florida ... seriously, something is WRONG about that state ...

How does someone taking part in ...

Nevermind I can't even spell out the STUPID.

Apologies to FL DU'ers, but ... damn, what a fucked up State.

RIP Ms. Knowlton. Thoughts go out to her family ...

[vinny9698]

4. I guess they forgot not to play cops and robbers with real loaded guns

Failed the basic safety test. Not to play with weapons, especially loaded.

[Duckhunter935]

5. Wow, WTF!

Never use real weapons, that's what rubber guns are for. BASIC safety

[Dale Neiburg]

7. My local PD has citizens' police acadmies

that include simulation exercises like this. But they use guns that have been modified to shoot only simunition (essentially high-rent paint balls), and have bright blue barrels to mark them as such. Attempting to fire live ammunition from a modified gun will just cause it to jam.

Parenthetically, going through a CPA is a very valuable and eye-opening experience. I recommend them highly if your local PD offers one.

[barbtries]

6. what the fuck.

who's not being careful around guns? oh, police. aargh

and she's dead. play with guns, someone dies, call it an accident. USA, USA, USA

[dembotoz]

8. hollywood tv script writters are up early knocking out a tv episode with this plot twist

did the victims husband have access to the officers gun?

tragic but kinda funny at the same time.....

[malthaussen]

9. Police should not do live-fire exercises with real people...

... it's dangerous enough for the military, let alone a bunch of civilians. And in the military, if someone screws up and kills someone, he is looking for a new job.

-- Mal

[Recursion]

12. We did this all the time in the Marines. With dummy guns.

I mean, can you imagine the fit a military range safety officer would throw if he saw an infantry unit doing this?

[question everything]

10. This is horrible

Shouldn't checking for blank ammunition be the very first step?

[Recursion]

11. In the military we used dummy guns for these things

We got a lot of shoot/don't training in the Marines; I don't recall ever using a functional weapon during them.

[Binkie The Clown]

13. Where was the good guy with a gun to save her? n/t

[christx30]

14. Charge the officer with negligent homicide.

He shouldn't be able to just say "Whoops..." and go on with his life. A woman is dead because of his carelessness and stupidity. He should be in prison for this. Any member of the public that did something this brain dead would be.
And that woman's estate should end up owning the police force after this.
Of course, this being the US, none of that is going to happen. The family is going to get a modest settlement in exchange for not suing the force. The cop will get some desk duty for a few weeks, then back on the street like he didn't miss a beat

[Recursion]

17. The officer, the commanding officer, the range safety officer, every God-damned one of them

I was in the Marine Corps for 7 years. We would never have accepted this protocol. This is inexcusable.

[sadie jones]

15. one adam 12

shoot don't shoot simulation, oh brother.

[Blue_Tires]

16. Fucking morons

[ga_girl]

18. Cop should be charged

With homicide x 1, reckless endangerment x 34