Woman Shot and Killed by Cop…During Lethal Force Demonstration

Last night, a woman in Florida was killed by a cop during – wait for it –  a Citizen Police Academy course.

Mary Knowlton, a 73-year old retired librarian, was one of 35 people participating in the Punta Gorda Citizen Police Academy.

The officers who hosted the course chose two students to role-play in a lethal force simulation, a scenario intended to demonstrate how and when officers decide to pull the trigger.

Knowlton was one of two participants who was randomly chosen to be play a victim and a cop was played a bad guy in a “shoot/don’t shoot” scenario.

In these role-playing demonstrations, decisions are made based on using simulated lethal force. Usually they are safe…acted out with either fake or empty weapons.

Unfortunately for Knowlton, the cop’s weapon was neither fake nor empty.

She was hit with live ammunition and was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Authorities have not yet explained why there were bullets in the officer’s gun or how exactly the tragedy occurred.

Of course, the officer’s name has not been released, and of course, he/she was placed on administrative leave.

The chief has asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct an independent investigation. They will surely investigate themselves and find themselves innocent of any wrongdoing.

Can you imagine if a mere citizen did something this horrifically negligent and stupid?

The Miami Herald reports that the session was meant to “help citizens understand the dangers that police face in confrontations on the streets.”

As of July 9, 26 cops have been shot on the job (so much for the “war on cops” lie many media outlets have been spreading).

And of yesterday, at least 651 people in the US have been killed by police, according to The Guardian’s database The Counted.

Perhaps citizens are the ones who are actually in danger.