Rare Shooting in Federal Prison Leaves Illinois Inmate Dead

Family says there's been no explanation
Posted Oct 22, 2025 6:10 PM CDT
Rare Shooting in Federal Prison Leaves Illinois Inmate Dead
The Coleman Federal Prison in Coleman, Florida, in 2010   (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)

An Illinois inmate was shot and killed earlier this month at a high-security federal prison in Florida, a rare event given that guards typically do not carry firearms inside prison walls. The shooting occurred on Oct. 10 at US Penitentiary Coleman I, northwest of Orlando, and resulted in the death of 33-year-old Dwayne Tottleben, who was serving a 15-year sentence for meth possession with intent to distribute. His family and friends said they have received no explanation from the federal Bureau of Prisons about the shooting, NBC News reports, and the agency has not released a statement or responded to inquiries, citing the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Tottleben's next of kin, Donna Ford, said she had spoken to him earlier that day and noticed nothing unusual. She learned of his death that night in a brief call from the prison. Tottleben's father described being left in the dark about the circumstances, learning only from the local medical examiner that his son had been shot. Guards generally are limited to carrying firearms when performing specific duties in federal prisons such as transporting inmates or staffing security posts, and then only with warden approval. The bureau's policy states that deadly force is a last resort, used only when there's an imminent threat.

The prison told NBC that the facility was placed on "enhanced modified operations" on Oct. 10, adding that "wardens may establish controls or implement temporary security measures to ensure the good order and security of their institution, as well as ensure the safety of the employees and the individuals in our custody."

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