A WOMAN IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WAS MISTAKENLY SHOT AND KILLED BY
POLICE OFFICIALS IN PUNTA GORDA FLORIDA.
THIS WAS DURING WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS A CITIZEN ACADEMY
PROGRAM WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO SIMULATE A POLICE ENCOUNTER
WITH A BAD GUY.
IN THIS CASE, MARY KNOWLTON WHO WAS THE VICTIM, WHO WAS NOT
PART OF THIS ACT, SHE WAS ROLE-PLAYING AND SHE WAS
ACCIDENTALLY SHOT AND KILLED IN THE PROCESS.
THE
WHOLE POINT OF THESE PROGRAMS IS TO GIVE THE
COMMUNITY A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT POLICE GO THROUGH WHEN
THEY DO THEIR JOBS.
IT SHOULD LEAD TO SOME COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDING.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS POLICE ACADEMY WENT WRONG BECAUSE AN
INNOCENT PERSON WAS SHOT
AND KILLED.
SO, DURING THIS
ROLE-PLAY APPARENTLY THE COP
USED TO GONE AND HE DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS ANY AMMUNITION IN
IT, BUT THERE WAS.
THAT IS HOW SHE GOT SHOT AND KILLED.
>> YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT, THIS IS KIND OF A
RESPONSE TO ALL OF THE POLICE VIOLENCE THAT'S BEING
HIGHLIGHTED.
THIS IS ONE OF
THOSE PROGRAMS THAT'S REALLY GOOD BECAUSE NORMALLY IT IS
HONEST, AND IT'S INTENTION IS TO GET THE COMMUNITY MORE ORIENTED
WITH THE POLICE FORCE.
IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE BUT WE
SHOULDN'T DISMISS THE SORT OF
PROGRAMS.
IT DOES SEEM TO ME LIKE AN HONEST MISTAKE.
IT IS A REALLY SAD AND TRAGIC SITUATION, BUT AN HONEST
MISTAKE AT THAT.
>> I FEEL LIKE THESE PROGRAMS ARE GREAT.
I THINK IN 100% OF
THESE PROGRAMS THEY SHOULD BE
USING FAKE GUNS.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE USING REAL GUNS THAT MAY OR
MAY NOT BE EMPTY.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DECIDED TO USE THIS
GUN, BUT IN THIS CASE IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.
WE HAVE BECOME SO
DESENSITIZED BY POLICE INVOLVED SHOOTINGS THAT SHOW SOME MALICE,
THAT IN THIS CASE I AM NOT JUSTIFYING BUT INTENT DOES
MATTER AND THIS WAS A GENUINE
ACCIDENT.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FEELS HORRIBLE ABOUT IT.
>> YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THIS WAS NOT A POLICE ACADEMY TRAINING.
THERE WAS NO REASON
FOR THEM TO HAVE A LOADED GUNS THERE.
SHE WAS TRYING TO LEARN
MORE AND EDUCATE HERSELF MORE ABOUT WHAT THE POLICE FORCE
DOES, WHICH IS GREAT.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT'S FOR WHO THE
PEOPLE ARE THAT ARE ATTENDING
THESE PROGRAMS.
I THINK THIS WOULD BE A DIFFERENT STORY IF
SHE HAD BEEN TRAINING TO BECOME
A POLICE OFFICER.
THEN I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULD NEED TO
USE REAL GUNS.
USE WOODEN GUNS, IT IS JUST A POSTED TEACH ñ
EDUCATE CITIZENS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON.
I REALLY THINK YOU
COULD ALMOST JUST FAKE IT.
IF THIS WAS A SITUATION, THIS IS
WHAT THE GUN WOULD KIND OF DO.
AGAIN, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST TRYING TO EDUCATE
THEMSELVES.
THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE WORRIED ABOUT BEING IN THE
LINE OF FIRE.
AND MAKES MY STOMACH TURN.
>> IT'S OBVIOUSLY VERY IRONIC THAT ONE OF THE MAIN POINTS OF
HAVING THESE ACADEMIES IS TO LET
CITIZENS UNDERSTAND WHY COPS HAVE SUCH A DIFFICULT JOB.
IN
THE PROCESS OF DOING SO THEY ACCIDENTALLY KILL AN INNOCENT
PERSON.
IT'S COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
INTENT
MATTERS A GREAT DEAL, FOR ME, IN TERMS OF JUDGING THE WRONGDOING
OF SOMEONE AND THEIR ACTIONS.
IN THIS CASE IT WAS A TERRIBLE MISTAKE, AND THEY SHOULD LEARN
FROM IT.
STOP USING REAL GUNS.
>>ALSO ANOTHER INSTANCE OF GUNS ARE VERY HORRIBLY DANGEROUS EVEN
IN THE HANDS OF TRAINED PROFESSIONALS.
AT THIS POINT
THESE POLICE OFFICERS ARE IN
TRAINING, AND SOME OF THEM ARE NOT, BUT GUNS ARE DANGEROUS.
THAT IS WHY A LOT OF GUN VIOLENCE NOT ONLY OCCURS BETWEEN
POLICE OFFICERS OR VIOLENT
CRIMINALS, BUT ACCIDENTAL SHOOTS AT YOUR HOUSE WHEN YOUR CHILD
GETS A HOLD OF YOUR GUN OR WHEN IT ACCIDENTALLY GOES OFF AND
SHOOT SOMEONE IN THE FACE.
GUNS ARE BAD, SURPRISED.
>>YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO CAUTIOUS WHEN IT COMES TO GUNS.