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

- 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.
 
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.
 
- 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.
 
"...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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