Thursday, August 11, 2016

Inexcusable and Maybe Even Criminal Negligence...

...are the only things I can think of right now as to the reasons a 73 year old woman, volunteering as a roleplayer in police training, reportedly was gunned down and killed by a police officer. Ironically, the woman had been assigned the role of the 'victim'. The officer, who had been playing the bad guy, reportedly fired shots at her from his revolver, at least one of which was apparently a live round, killing her. More:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/08/10/woman-killed-in-simulation-exercise-at-florida-police-academy.html

Someone scewed up big time and needs to be held accountable. In fact, as I see it, it is likely that more than one person was negligent in this case. First of all, I believe whoever allowed an actual working firearm to be used in shoot/don't shoot training, in which roleplayers participated, was very negligent. Based on many years of experience both receiving and giving similar training, I know such training calls for the use either non-firing training weapons or of firearms modified to only be capable of firing nonlethal training rounds like Simunition. In addition, whoever was running the event was negligent for not assuring that absolutely no live ammunituon was allowed into the training area. Of course, the officer who fired the deadly shot(s) was also negligent for not assuring that he did not have any live ammo and that none was in the weapon he used for the training. Finally, if the officer fired more than one live round, how was it he did not stop firing once he felt the recoil of the live ammo!

I wonder if this rises to level of criminal negligence or culpable neligence as called in FL. I think it may well rise to that level and warrant criminal prosecution. That though will depend on the findings of the prosecutor and courts in FL. Even if it does, I would be surprised if the officer or others involved would be prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter. However I look at it though, I believe it to be inexcusable negligence that led to and resulted in the woman's death.

All the best,
Glenn B