“I know this looks really bad,” Deputy Sheriff Leslie Boileau reportedly told authorities when they arrived at his home.
Marion County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook
Deputy Leslie Boileau
A Florida police officer has been charged with manslaughter after accidentally shooting his girlfriend while cleaning his gun.
According to a press release from the Ocala Police Department, Leslie Boileau, a deputy with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, called 9-1-1 on Thursday evening, September 19, to report that he had accidentally shot his girlfriend.
“Upon arrival, officers found the victim with a fatal gunshot wound to her forehead. A 9mm handgun was found on the victim’s lap and a rifle was also located at the scene,” the press release said.
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Marion County Florida Sheriff’s Office Sign
Boileau told officers during questioning that the shooting was “accidental” and that it happened while he and his girlfriend “had the firearms in their hands and were dry firing.”
Dry firing is the act of shooting a firearm without ammunition in the chamber.
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Boileau said the two came home from dinner and opened a package of gun cleaning supplies and began cleaning them.
According to an arrest report obtained by FOX 13, Boileau stated that during the process, he “grabbed the gun and dry-fired it once,” and that on the second attempt, he “forgot that he had the loaded magazine in the gun, and a single live round was fired in the direction of (his girlfriend), ultimately killing her.”
The officer reportedly said he and his girlfriend had undergone similar training and told officers at the scene, “I know this looks really bad. I told her I didn’t want this to happen,” FOX 13 reported.
According to Ocala police, a search warrant was executed at Boileau’s residence, corroborating his story with physical evidence found at the crime scene.
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“In light of these findings, Leslie Boileau has been arrested for manslaughter for his role in the fatal shooting,” the department’s press release said.
In a press release shared with PEOPLE, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said Boileau is being held in the Marion County Jail without bail. He was “immediately terminated” from the department, where he served as a deputy sheriff for eight years.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said in a statement included with the news release: “We are devastated for the family and friends of the victim. Tens of thousands of police officers do their jobs commendably every day. But unfortunately, the tragic actions of just one person are felt by the entire law enforcement community. The Ocala Police Department has the support of my office as they complete their investigation into this tragic incident.”
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Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken also released a statement offering his condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones, saying that the “Ocala Police Department is working with the District Attorney’s Office to ensure justice is served.”
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