But Knowlton was mistakenly struck with a live round, officials said.
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The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is still in the process of conducting their independent investigation. “If you pray, please pray for Mary’s family, and for the officers who were involved”.
Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis told reporters the weapon was a revolver, not a department-issued service weapon. They were put through a “shoot/don’t shoot” live role play scenario, the statement said, where they were asked to make decisions on using lethal force. “Everyone involved in this accident is in a state of overwhelming shock and grief”, Lewis said.
The Bradenton Police Department had recently considered starting it’s own Citizens Academy but decided against it, according to Assistant Police Chief Josh Cramer. Rushed to nearby Lee Memorial Hospital, Knowlton was soon pronounced dead.
“Our entire police department and all of our city leaders are absolutely devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event”, Lewis said. The officer allegedly fired several rounds at Knowlton, who was playing the victim, according to the Sun.
Controversy surrounded Officer Coel earlier this year after a man sued the City of Punta Gorda and the police department claiming Cole and his K9 went too far during a traffic stop arrest.
‘However, we are taking care not to jeopardize the investigation’.
With suspicions running high between police and many citizens in recent years, particularly in minority communities, Vasquez said, a death like the one in Punta Gorda is extremely unfortunate.
The married mother of two sons was a retiree from Minnesota and had signed up for the city’s Citizens Academy as a show of support for law enforcement after deadly attacks on police in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, son Steve Knowlton told NBC News.
According to Knowlton’s Facebook page, she served on the Friends of the Punta Gorda Library board of directors and had spent most her career as a librarian. “That was important to her”, Hartwigsen said.
Hartwigsen said Knowlton and her husband of more than 50 years would come back to Minnesota periodically to visit.
“She knew he didn’t mean to do it”, he says.
The couple had two sons, Hartwigsen said.
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“When we run scenarios, we will use starter pistols”, Vasquez told The Associated Press.
