Cop Accidentally Shoots, Kills Woman in Role-Play Session

PUNTA GORDA, FL — A “shoot/don’t shoot” role-play scenario at the Punta Gorda Police Department’s Citizen Police Academy had deadly consequences Tuesday night. Police say a live round somehow wound up inside a gun fired by an officer. The bullet fatally injured a woman in the class.

According to Chief Tom Lewis, the woman, Mary Knowlton, 73, had enrolled in the two-hour class along with about 34 other area residents. Two participants were randomly chosen to take part in the role-play session that simulates the decision-making process involved in determining when to use lethal force.

During the first scenario run-through, Knowlton was struck by a live round, the department said. Knowlton was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital but was pronounced dead, Lewis said.

“I am devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event. If you pray, please pray for Mary’s family, and for the officers who were involved,” Lewis said in a press conference. “Everyone involved in this accident is in a state of overwhelming shock and grief.”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has taken over the investigation. The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave. Police have not yet identified the officer involved in the fatal shooting.

“The Punta Gorda Police Department realizes the community has many questions about this incident,” a statement from the agency promised. “We also must take great care to not jeopardize the investigation. As the investigation continues and more information is available we will release it.”

Citizen police academies are commonly staged by law enforcement agencies across the state of Florida to give residents a chance to learn more about the procedures and protocols involved in policing. The sessions are also meant to help bring the community and law enforcement closer together.

In Pasco County, for example, the sheriff’s office offers a free three-week academy that’s meant to provide participants a detailed look inside the agency. “As a member, you will learn the latest trends and procedures in law enforcement, as well as the duties and responsibilities of the various departments,” the agency explains on its website.

In the wake the June 12 massacre at the Pulse Orlando Night Club & Ultra Bar, a number of agencies in the Tampa Bay area have also begun offering active shooter training. A recent training in St. Petersburg drew an estimated 500 people.

Image via Shutterstock/Video courtesy of the Punta Gorda Police Department