Jesse Porter arrest: Retired lieutenant charged with involuntary manslaughter after shooting D.C. library officer

Police on Thursday arrested former police lieutenant Jesse Porter, who killed a D.C. library officer named Maurica Manyan during a baton training exercise at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library in Washington, D.C.

According to Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee, Jesse Porter, 58, shot Maurica Manyan, 25, after finishing the training exercise at around 3:30 pm. The library officer was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was later declared dead.

She was a Special Police Officer in Indian Head, Maryland.

Police consulted the U.S. attorney's office in Washington before arresting Porter on charges of involuntary manslaughter. He was still being held Friday, and it was unclear whether he had a lawyer who could speak for him.

The retired lieutenant was teaching a group of library police officers how to use expandable batons for a private contractor, according to the Metropolitan Police.

It is believed that there were six other trainees in the room apart from the victim and the suspect. A special officer was also present at the venue when the incident took place.

While being taken out by the arresting officers, Porter told one of the witnesses present at the scene:

“I’m sorry. I shot your officer.”

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Jesse Porter was carrying a training weapon with him

Anacostia Neighborhood Library (Image via Getty)

Police Chief Robert Contee said in a press conference on Friday that it was unclear why Porter pulled out the loaded gun after training.

He commented:

“There are props and firearm lookalikes that are in a training environment. They were present in this environment. But why and what kind of was in his mind at this time, I don’t know the answer to that.”

He also further stated that he had no idea why the weapon was there:

“I don’t have answers as to why the live firearm was in ASP baton training.”

The police's official statement reads:

“The detectives’ investigation revealed a retired MPD Lieutenant was providing ASP Baton instruction, as a private contractor, for Library Special Police Officers. While in the conference room, the instructor discharged a single round from a firearm which struck the decedent. A firearm was recovered on scene.”

Trainers are not required to carry weapons during training. Although the training was given by an ex-cop, at present, Jesse Porter was not affiliated with the forces as he was working for a private agency.

He will be presented in front of a judge on Monday and the rest of the procedure will follow from there.

Police are still looking for any reason behind the shooting but at this point, it is being alleged that it was unintentional and unwarranted.