Law enforcement officers on leave, after shooting and killing a naked woman

Inga Marie Sawnson


Photographer: Hernando County Sheriff's Office
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Sheriff: Naked woman shot, killed by off-duty investigators


Photographer: WFTS
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Posted: 10/21/2012

SPRING HILL, Fla. - State agents are investigating an officer-involved shooting. Deputies say a naked woman was shot and killed by two off-duty investigators, after reportedly confronting them with a gun.

The woman has been identified as Inga Marie Swanson, 42.

Hernando County Sheriff's Office deputies blocked off part of Orchard Way, in Spring Hill for quite some time on Saturday.

Steve Hulgin lives down the street from where the shooting took place.

Hulgin said, "It's so bizarre. You feel sorry for the girl. Obviously there had to be something wrong with her."

That's what authorities are still trying to figure out.

Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis says one of his detectives, Rocky Howard and Tampa Police Department officer, William Machler, were off-duty and at a social gathering, when the woman approached them.

According to Nienhuis, she was acting irrational, with no clothes on.

"She was not part of the gathering nor was she invited to the gathering," said Nienhuis. "It's not like she was part of the group."

After a confrontation, Sheriff Nienhuis says she left.  But, that wasn't the last time the law enforcers would see her.

Nienhuis said, "A short time later, she came back with a weapon and confronted both the Tampa police officer and my sheriff's office detective,  One or both fired their weapons."

Officials said she died from her injuries.

Following standard procedure, the detective and officer are on paid administrative leave, until the investigation is over.

Meanwhile, Hulgin says he's still trying to wrap his mind around a bizarre night.

"The craziest thing that happens is a neighbors horse will get loose," he said.  "It's very quiet. We all have 10 or 20 acre parcels."

Investigators will not release the victim's name until they tell her family. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the case.

Detective Howard, 31, has been with the Hernando County Sheriff's Office for six years.

Officer Machler, 26, has been with the Tampa Police Department for four years.

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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