# 73 year old Woman killed at Florida Citizen Academy exercise...



## Ooh-Rah (Aug 10, 2016)

Oh come on, really?

_The officer was supposed to fire blanks at Knowlton, but live rounds were loaded in the gun, according to WINK News. 
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A Florida woman has been accidentally shot to death in front of 34 people by an officer during a citizens academy exercise, according to Punta Gorda police.

Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis says Mary Knowlton, 73, was taking part in a role-playing scenario Tuesday when she was 'mistakenly struck with a live round'. 
How can that even be a thing?  
_
Woman killed by Florida officer in academy exercise, police say

If you are going to 'pretend shoot' at civilians, how bout using those cute little airsoft guns with the orange tips so you don't LOAD A REAL BULLET INTO THE FUCKING MAGAZINE?


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## Red Flag 1 (Aug 10, 2016)

We did an off base exercise with around 60 hostages from a local Women's College, known as the "W". We used the local VFW for the exercise location. This included military USAF, Army Reserve, and local LEO's.  State and Federal LEOs were left at a checklist item without actual response. Blanks were not allowed, I wanted empty cylinders and mags. Before it kicked off, I personally checked every weapon that was being used in the exercise; military and civilian. My next big worry was locals with CB radios hearing about the exercise, and not know it was an exercise. Just to be sure the CB'ers did not "come to the rescue", we setup a cordon around the site that no one could get through. It took a lot of planning, and my biggest worry was someone being shot. While there were lots of grumbles about not using blanks, it went off without a hitch, and there were no injuries.


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## Devildoc (Aug 10, 2016)

Very tragic.  And completely avoidable.  Reminds me of the Robin Sage incident of a few years ago.


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## Gunz (Aug 10, 2016)

Total retardation.


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## DA SWO (Aug 10, 2016)

Wow,
My guess is no safety officer checking the weapon; of course her ending up at Lee Memorial Hospital wasn't a good thing either.


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## Raptor (Aug 10, 2016)

So much for "Always treat a gun as if it is loaded"


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Aug 10, 2016)

There was a similar situation between to LEO's here in Texas back around 2000. I believe one deputy took a live round to the head and died later. A lot of safety checks followed. Controlled training environment, brass and ammo shake downs, armed officers had to carry in fanny packs and couldn't be involved with force on force drills, etc, etc. In many training events,  we just outright banned live weapons and ammo, stuck with Glock T17's for FoF or rubber ducked it with the blue guns.


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## Ooh-Rah (Aug 10, 2016)

Pictured: Officer who shot dead Florida mother, 73, during exercise

1 - long article, including the naming of the officer, but still no explanation of whose gun it was (the officers? A designated training weapon?)

2 - was thinking about this earlier. If the random person chosen had been a black male? Would calmer heads  prevail, or would every highway in America  be closed with protesters tonight.  I'm leaning towards the latter.


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## The Hate Ape (Aug 11, 2016)

I'm so tired of morons ruining things that carry potential for the rest of the world, to include oxygen.

This reeks of stupidity. My stance on dog and pony shows involving weapons and the civilian populace aside, I hope the shooter/officer is charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Call me harsh but every troop & LEO should know what is in their weapon and what they are doing with. I do not demand this, the environment we live in does.

H/A


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## Red Flag 1 (Aug 11, 2016)

Ooh-Rah said:


> Pictured: Officer who shot dead Florida mother, 73, during exercise
> 
> 1 - long article, including the naming of the officer, but still no explanation of whose gun it was (the officers? A designated training weapon?)
> 
> 2 - was thinking about this earlier. If the random person chosen had been a black male? Would calmer heads  prevail, or would every highway in America  be closed with protesters tonight.  I'm leaning towards the latter.




In the hostage simulation we ran, we thought it best for each shooter use his/her daily use weapon. One of the responsibilities I had was to insure there would be no live/blank rounds used. I did not hand that one off. I looked at every shooter, and every weapon before we kicked things off.


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## Ooh-Rah (Aug 11, 2016)

Just thinking about this again today, I am convinced I will never see an explanation about this case that satisfies my belief that safety was not the priority.


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## Ooh-Rah (Aug 11, 2016)

I don't know what this really means in regards to liability , but it is refreshing to see someone in leadership still willing to take accountability for something that happened under his command. 

Chief takes responsibility for fatal academy shooting


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## pardus (Aug 11, 2016)

That Officer is a dumb cunt who needs to be removed from his position NOW! That is a minimum response IMO.


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## AWP (Aug 11, 2016)

This was a failure at almost every level that day. The officer, the RSO(s), anyone in a supervisory position.... This is such a basic issue and so bloody obvious to anyone who has handled a firearm.  Think back to a few weeks ago with the ND that shot a man laying on the ground with his hands up, even LEO's should be pissed. This is just bullshit to the nth degree.


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## Ooh-Rah (Mar 13, 2017)

*- UPDATE -*

Fla. cop fired for accidental killing of Twin Cities retiree during 'shoot/don't shoot' demo

_The consequences keep coming for a Florida police officer who accidentally shot to death a retired Twin Cities school librarian during a role-playing exercise last summer.

Lee Coel was fired last week from the Punta Gorda police force for firing the shot that killed 73-year-old Mary Knowlton during a citizens academy “shoot/don’t shoot” exercise in August.

Coel was notified Thursday that Friday was his last day and ordered to turn in his uniform, badge, gun and all other police-issued equipment. Coel can appeal his firing. He had been on administrative leave since the shooting_


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Mar 13, 2017)

Unfortunate accidents still have consequences. Ultimately it was his own responsibility to double-tripple check the condition of his weapon. His failure to do so, resulted in the death of a citizen.  I agree with his firing, and honestly he should have commission pulled permanently, as it's highly unlikely he will work in LE again.


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## Gunz (Mar 13, 2017)

_*An investigation determined that live ammunition had been mistakenly mixed in with blanks.*_

How the fuck does _that_ happen? And regardless, it's no excuse. He had no fucking business pointing a gun--loaded or unloaded--anywhere but in a safe direction. As a LEO he should've known that. The fact that he didn't makes me think he had no business wearing a badge in the first place.


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## Red Flag 1 (Mar 13, 2017)

O


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## Kraut783 (Mar 13, 2017)

You have to have at least ten years as an LEO, when separated and not retired, to qualify for LEOSA.  Think this guy was only a LEO since 2014, so no LEOSA....thank God!

So many departments and federal agencies hold some kind of citizen academy, it is horrible that this seems to happen once a year or so.....for the love of God, spend the money and use a blue freaking *Simunition* gun...stop using blanks in firearms.


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## policemedic (Mar 13, 2017)

I think the criminal case is still ongoing. However, regardless of what happens in court he is no longer eligible under LEOSA because he was fired from his department. You have to leave honorably (including medical retirement) with at least 10 years of service.


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## policemedic (Mar 13, 2017)

Kraut783 said:


> You have to have at least ten years as an LEO, when separated and not retired, to qualify for LEOSA.  Think this guy was only a LEO since 2014, so no LEOSA.



Beat me to it.


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## Red Flag 1 (Mar 14, 2017)

T


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## Ooh-Rah (Jun 29, 2017)

*- UPDATE -*

Florida police chief acquitted in fatal citizens academy exercise that killed Minnesota retiree

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Jurors have found a Florida police chief not guilty of culpable negligence in the death of a former Minnesota woman who was accidentally shot during a citizens academy "shoot/don't shoot" exercise.

News outlets report that Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis was acquitted on Thursday.

Authorities say former officer Lee Coel mistakenly shot and killed 73-year-old Mary Knowlton during a role-playing scenario last summer. Prosecutors had argued that Lewis, as Coel's boss, was partially responsible.


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## Kraut783 (Jun 29, 2017)

Actually, that's a good verdict.  What the hell is wrong with the prosecutors down there......if you want to fire the Chief, then okay....but criminal charges?  Every officer knows the laws of handling firearms...*he* fucked up.


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## Frank S. (Jun 30, 2017)

Kraut783 said:


> What the hell is wrong with the prosecutors down there....



Och! T'was all Greek to me until I remembered a visionary 1976 documentary on climate change and read this article...


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## AWP (Jun 30, 2017)

Kraut783 said:


> What the hell is wrong with the prosecutors down there?



Florida.


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## Gunz (Jun 30, 2017)

AWP said:


> Florida.



Where people come to meet, greet and _eat_ other people

FSU student eating man's face at double-murder scene may have been on hallucinogenic drugs, investigators say


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Jul 2, 2017)

Florida? Don't you mean south Georgia?:-"

You just gone get down younderways you kurdog son's of bitch...goot'n-goot-goot.


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## Ooh-Rah (Aug 31, 2017)

*- UPDATE -*

Florida police chief fired over citizens academy exercise that killed former Minnesotan

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — A Florida police chief has been fired just more than a year after one of his officers accidentally shot and killed a woman during a citizens academy exercise.

Punta Gorda City Manager Howard Kunik announced Tom Lewis' termination on the city's website Wednesday after an internal investigation. It found a casual approach to citizen safety during demonstrations and a non-standardized approach that created unnecessary risk for everyone involved.


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## Gunz (Aug 31, 2017)

"...it found a casual approach to citizen safety..."

Pointing a loaded gun at a citizen and pulling the trigger...yeah, I'd call that pretty casual.

Good riddance to the chief.


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