Shocking video: Cop accidentally shoots dead elderly woman in academy training
A video has emerged of the moment an elderly woman was accidentally killed by a police officer during police academy training in the US.
The dramatic video shows 73-year-old Mary Knowlton stepping out of the crowd to participate in a “Shoot, Don’t Shoot” scenario.
Punta Gurda police officer Lee Coel can be seen wearing a hood pretending to be the suspect.
As Knowlton approaches him he pulls his gun and fires.
It’s not known what was meant to happen but officers are next seen frantically rushing towards Knowlton’s direction after she dropped to the ground.
She was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Her husband, Gary Knowlton, told WVSN he witnessed the whole thing.
“He (Coel) turned her over and she looked horrible. Blood all over the place, and I thought, ‘Oh, my God!’ There was maybe five people who were trying to save her,” he said.
While investigators found no evidence Coel intended to kill Knowlton in the February incident he was terminated from the police department.
Coel is due to appeal his termination.
