Douglass Morency, the director of public safety for the DC Public Library system, resigned last week in the hours after the fatal shooting of a library officer trainee at the Anacostia Library, officials confirmed.
The DC Public Library said Morency’s last day is Aug. 18, but he is no longer running day-to-day operations for library police.
Officials would not confirm the reason for his stepping down and did not provide a copy of the resignation letter.
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Morency’s decision follows the Aug. 4 fatal shooting of Special Police Officer Maurica Manyan at a training session inside a public library in Anacostia.
Manyan was a 25-year-old resident of Indian Head, Maryland, who worked as a special police officer within the DC Public Library's public safety division.
Jesse Porter, a retired D.C. police officer, is charged with involuntary manslaughter in her death after sources familiar with the investigation said he drew a pistol to illustrate how quickly it could be done and fired.
“I thought I had my training gun. Why did I do this? Is she ok?” witnesses told police that Porter asked.
In a press release, the library system said it was mourning Manyan’s death.
“Since starting in February, Maurica was known in the Library for her warm, bubbly personality. Our thoughts are with Maurica’s family, and the DCPL family, especially our colleagues in the Office of Public Safety, as we mourn the loss of Maurica together,” the release reads.
