Punta Gorda Police Couldn’t Tell Blanks From Wadcutters When He Shot Librarian

By Bob Owens

Punta Gorda (FL) Police officer Lee Coel didn’t know the difference between lead wadcutters (right, above) and .38 Special blanks (left) when he loaded his personally-owned Smith & Wesson Airweight revolver before a demonstration that saw him fire four rounds and kill a retired librarian in front of horrified onlookers.

There’s a reason why no legitimate police department uses real weapons during force-on-force training.

There’s a reason why we don’t point firearms — loaded or unloaded — at anything we’re not willing to destroy.

There’s a reason why we practice safe muzzle discipline.

There’s a reason why we assume every gun is loaded.

There’s a reason why firearms training should only be presented by qualified instructors.

Mistakes can happen, usually with tragic results.

According to investigative reports and crime scene photos released Wednesday, former Punta Gorda Police Officer Lee Coel loaded Blazer .38 Special hollow-base wadcutters into his Smith & Wesson .38 Special Airweight revolver, instead of Winchester blank rounds.

Coel then pointed his revolver at 73-year-old retired librarian Mary Knowlton and pulled the trigger four times.

Knowlton was hit twice.

“Mrs. Knowlton was struck by two of the four bullets that were fired. One bullet ricocheted off the engine hood of the parked car and struck Mrs. …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms