Florida deputy arrested in accidental shooting, killing of girlfriend

OCALA, Fla. (AP) — A erstwhile northbound Florida lawman has been fired aft telling investigators that helium accidentally changeable and killed his woman portion cleaning his gun, authorities said Friday.

Ocala constabulary said officers responded to the location of Marion County Deputy Leslie Boileau precocious Thursday nighttime and recovered a pistillate with a fatal gunshot coiled to her forehead and a 9mm handgun successful her lap. A firearm was besides recovered astatine the scene.

“The Ocala Police Department is moving with the State Attorney’s Office to guarantee justness is served,” Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken said successful a statement.

Boileau told officers that the shooting occurred portion helium and his woman were handling and adust firing the guns.

After being taken into custody, Boileau told detectives that helium accidentally discharged a loaded circular portion demonstrating the usage of a rifle, sidesplitting the woman.

A hunt warrant executed astatine Boileau’s location corroborated his account, constabulary said. Officials didn’t instantly merchandise the girlfriend’s name.

Boileau was arrested and charged with manslaughter. It wasn’t instantly known whether helium had an attorney. Online jailhouse records didn’t amusement a grounds of his booking, and his lawsuit wasn’t showing up successful the region clerk of courts website Friday.

Boileau was instantly fired from the sheriff’s office, wherever helium had served for 8 years. Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said successful a connection that the Ocala Police Department has the enactment of his office.

“Tens of thousands of instrumentality enforcement officers bash their occupation commendably each day,” Sheriff Billy Woods said. “But unfortunately, the tragic actions of conscionable 1 are felt done the full instrumentality enforcement community.”