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Punta Gorda Police Chief: 'I accept full responsibility'

Posted at 1:00 PM, Aug 11, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-11 09:11:16-04

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WWSB) - Police Chief Tom Lewis took complete responsibility today for the tragic death of a woman during a citizen training exercise.

"This has been a devastating time for the Knowlton family as well as the community," Lewis said. "As your Chief of Police, I accept full responsibility for the actions of my department and officers.

"The bottom line is I am one hundred percent accountable."

Mary Knowlton, 73, was accidentally shot to death during a similar roleplaying scenario Tuesday night, according to the police report. Police said she was "mistakenly struck with a live round" during the training.

Officer Lee Coel was involved in the shooting. Coel was hired in March of 2014 and was often involved in role playing during the shoot/don't shoot scenarios.

The scenes are usually acted out with fake or empty weapons, but when Coel fired his weapon, Knowlton was hit with live ammunition, according to investigators. Coel has been placed on administrative leave pending a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation.

Lewis said Wednesday afternoon the department was unaware any live ammunition was being used in the citizens academy "shoot/don't shoot" exercise. He said the gun that was fired had been used in previous training.

Lewis says Knowlton, of Charlotte County, was one of two from about 35 people in the class for a "shoot/don't shoot" simulation during which they decide whether to use simulated lethal force during a "live role play." 

"We want to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Mary Knowlton," said City Manager Howard Kunik Wednesday morning. "We are shocked by this horrific accident, and are grieving deeply over Mary's passing.”

The City arranged for Tidewell Hospice to provide free grief counseling. Any community member interested in seeking assistance, should call Michelle Gordon at 941-979-4300.

A Facebook profile, which appears to belong to Knowlton, said she lives in Punta Gorda with her husband, and had been a librarian at a public library in Savage, Minnesota.

Carolyn Hartwigsen, of Edina, Minnesota, told The Associated Press she was a long-time friend of Knowlton and said she had a love of books she tried to instill in young readers.

“So much is on the internet now. But, books are so important to have in children’s hands. That was important to her,” Hartwigsen said.

The couple had two sons, Hartwigsen told the AP.

Sue Paquin, a photographer covering the event for the Charlotte Sun, told the Fort Myers News-Press the officer, who was playing the “bad guy”, fired at Knowlton who was playing the “victim” during the scenario.

Photos on the Punta Gorda Police Department Facebook page posted in March show academy participants engaged in simulations similar to the one that police described was taking place Tuesday night. Civilians are taught how to aim and holster what appears to be a fake gun or stun gun. They climb in and out of police cruisers and ride atop official department Segways.

In a series of photos, two people dressed in black protective gear and helmets appear to be simulating a physical fight. Another participant approaches the scene, gun in hand, to mitigate the situation. Here, the gun does not appear to be real. Nobody is shot.