Punta Gorda police officer Lee Coel fires his gun during the Punta Gorda Police Department’s demonstration Tuesday night. The department identified Coel as the officer who accidentally shot and killed Mary Knowlton. (Photo: Sue Paquin/Charlotte Sun)
A woman, Mary Knowlton, was accidentally shot and killed by a police officer during a role-play incident, “Shoot or Don’t Shoot,” at the Citizens Academy.
For me, it was a plum assignment. It was a Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce event, so I knew most of the people there — John Wright, Nanette Leonard, Debi Malinoski, etc.Mrs. Knowlton had volunteered to be one of the participants in the role-playing part of the exercise. She was given a “simunition” gun, a fake weapon which used detergent in the rounds, and the officer involved had one as well filled with blanks.Or so they thought.I snapped the photo as the officer, playing a “bad guy,” fired
It seems that this was more of a Dog-And-Pony show for the Chamber of Commerce than training. Safety protocols were disregarded and somebody paid with her life.
If Punta Gorda PD was trying to make an impression, they managed. Those who approved, set up and prepped this thing have to be given their retirement papers and job application for WalMart.
Semi-retired like Vito Corleone before the heart attack.
Consiglieri to J.Kb and AWA.
I lived in a Gun Control Paradise: It sucked and got people killed.
I do believe that Freedom scares the political elites.
5 thoughts on “Update on the Punta Gorda PD FOF shooting.”
As I said to my wife when watching this on the news: “My God, how can they be so stupid? There are about a dozen ways to do this that involve no actual firearms at all, yet someone thought, hey let’s use a real gun and blanks at close range . Surely that’s a good idea, because nobody’s ever f—ed up that before.”
If she had a simunition gun, everyone involved should have had simunition or blue guns, depending upon whether they were merely to present a threat (blue gun) or fire the gun (simunition). How about buying some damn airsoft guns, you complete and utter morons.
Idiots. And those involved need more than walking papers. They need sentences.
I’ve been to punta Gorda, used to have family there. Unless it has changed substantially, what were they trying to show, that they can respond to an incident with a rogue and active orange picker?
Ahh…
Walmart doesn’t allow carry…………..
The officer could not have been using a simunition gun. Simunition rounds can only be fired from special slide/bolt/bolt carriers that are blue and are incapable of firing live ammunition. The military uses these extensively because of their safety and effectiveness. Everyone can see the blue action parts and know that weapon is safe. The officer had to be using a regular firearm, and someone didn’t clear the range/exercise area of live ammunition. This is a major safety fail from the start. That officer should never see another day with a badge and probably see jail time for negligent homicide.
As I said to my wife when watching this on the news: “My God, how can they be so stupid? There are about a dozen ways to do this that involve no actual firearms at all, yet someone thought, hey let’s use a real gun and blanks at close range . Surely that’s a good idea, because nobody’s ever f—ed up that before.”
If she had a simunition gun, everyone involved should have had simunition or blue guns, depending upon whether they were merely to present a threat (blue gun) or fire the gun (simunition). How about buying some damn airsoft guns, you complete and utter morons.
Idiots. And those involved need more than walking papers. They need sentences.
I’ve been to punta Gorda, used to have family there. Unless it has changed substantially, what were they trying to show, that they can respond to an incident with a rogue and active orange picker?
Ahh…
Walmart doesn’t allow carry…………..
The officer could not have been using a simunition gun. Simunition rounds can only be fired from special slide/bolt/bolt carriers that are blue and are incapable of firing live ammunition. The military uses these extensively because of their safety and effectiveness. Everyone can see the blue action parts and know that weapon is safe. The officer had to be using a regular firearm, and someone didn’t clear the range/exercise area of live ammunition. This is a major safety fail from the start. That officer should never see another day with a badge and probably see jail time for negligent homicide.
It appears that he used a plain jane revolver.