Jesse Porter: Ex-cop charged with manslaughter in shooting of DC library guard during training
ANACOSTIA, WASHINTON, DC: Jesse Porter, a former police lieutenant with the Metropolitan Police Department, is accused of fatally shooting a library guard on August 4, Thursday at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library in Washington, DC.
Authorities said in a statement on Friday, August 5 that Porter, 58, was training the library officers on the ASP baton when the incident took place. Police identified the victim as Maurica Manyan, 25, of Indian Head, Maryland. According to the police statement, when officers from the Metropolitan Police Department arrived at the scene at around 3:30 pm, they discovered Manyan suffering from a gunshot wound.
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Subsequently, DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services took the victim to a nearby hospital, where she was later declared dead, according to The Washington Post. Officers at the training stated they requested a group photo be taken at the conclusion of the session, according to a court affidavit obtained by NBC Washington.
The documents also showed that Manyan was the target of numerous amusing comments regarding her hair and shoes, and that she allegedly expressed a desire to remove her mask to get the photo taken. According to the records, Porter fired his gun at that precise moment. The police report, which is consistent with the affidavit, claims that the instructor fired one bullet from a gun, striking Manyan. A gun was found at the location.
A retired police lieutenant in D.C. killed another officer during a training exercise at a library, according to surveillance video that hasn't been released to the public.
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) August 6, 2022
Jesse Porter, 58, says he shot Maurica Manyan, 25, by accident because he thought it was his training gun. pic.twitter.com/Pqj7oeSSsF
"I thought I had my training gun. Why did I do this? Is she ok?" Porter asked, according to witness accounts given to the police, as reported by NBC Washington. Porter performed CPR on Manyan in an effort to save her, according to a DC police officer who was present, as reported by The Washington Post.
Robert J Contee III, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, was unable to explain why Porter had a real gun and real bullets. He told reporters, "I'm not certain why. I don't have answers as to why the live firearm was in the ASP baton training." The Metropolitan Police Department's press statement reported that Porter was detained and charged with involuntary manslaughter.
According to NBC Washington, Porter turned to the arresting officer after being taken into custody and allegedly remarked, "I'm sorry I shot your officer." Witnesses reportedly claimed that Porter had a replica training gun in his holster at the time of the incident, which was bright-colored. "There are props and firearm lookalikes that are in a training environment. They were present in this environment," Police Chief Contee III remarked. "But why and what kind of was in his mind at this time, I don't know the answer to that."
Porter made an appearance in court on August 5, Friday and was given parole until trial. He was instructed to surrender any personal firearms to law enforcement and not possess any weapons, according to The Washington Post. He will have his preliminary hearing on August 24.