Florida deputy accidentally shoots and kills his girlfriend, officials say

OCALA, Fla. (AP) — A former north Florida deputy has been fired after telling investigators that he accidentally shot and killed his girlfriend while cleaning his gun, authorities said Friday.

Ocala police said officers responded to the home of Marion County Deputy Leslie Boileau late Thursday and found a woman with a fatal gunshot wound to her forehead and a 9mm handgun in her lap. A rifle was also found at the scene.

“The Ocala Police Department is working with the State Attorney’s Office to ensure justice is served,” Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken said in a statement.

Boileau told officers that the shooting occurred while he and his girlfriend were handling and dry firing the guns. After being taken into custody, Boileau told detectives that he accidentally discharged a loaded round while demonstrating the use of a rifle, killing the woman.

A search warrant executed at Boileau’s home corroborated his account, police said. Officials didn’t immediately release the girlfriend’s name.

Boileau was arrested and charged with manslaughter. It wasn’t immediately known whether he had an attorney. Online jail records didn’t show a record of his booking, and his case wasn’t showing up in the county clerk of courts website Friday.

Boileau was immediately fired from the sheriff’s office, where he had served for eight years. Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said in a statement that the Ocala Police Department has the support of his office.

“Tens of thousands of law enforcement officers do their job commendably every day,” Sheriff Billy Woods said. “But unfortunately, the tragic actions of just one are felt through the entire law enforcement community.”