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Officer Shot Dead During Baton Training Session at D.C. Library

The female victim was reportedly shot by the session’s instructor.

A woman died after being shot during a baton training session for special police officers in a Washington, D.C. library on Thursday, cops said. The wounded special officer, 25-year-old Maurica Manyan, was found “unconscious and not breathing” when first responders arrived at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library. A retired D.C. police lieutenant, Jesse Porter, was instructing a class on how to use an extended baton when tragedy struck, Chief Robert Contee said. Unnamed sources close to the investigation say the trainer drew a pistol to demonstrate how quickly it could be done and fired a single shot, hitting the victim in the chest, NBC Washington reports. Six others were in the conference room at the time, including other library police officers, but only Manyan was struck. Homicide detectives were looking into why the instructor had live ammunition. “I don’t have answers as to why the live firearm was in a... baton training,” Contee said. “I don’t have those answers for you right now.” Special police officers are contracted to guard buildings and are certified by D.C. Porter, 58, retired from the force in 2020 after 33 years, his LinkedIn says. He has since worked as the CEO of a tactical training company that is contracted by law enforcement agencies. Manyan, who lived in Maryland, was a former employee of FedEx and Arby’s, her LinkedIn profile said.