A $13 million settlement was reached this week with the district by the family of an 18-year-old woman who was shot and killed in California by a school safety officer.
On September 27, 2021, Manuela Mona Rodriguez, the mother of a five-month-old son, was shot in the back of the head by Long Beach Unified School District safety Officer Eddie F. Gonzalez.
California Teen Mom Shot To Death
Previously, Long Beach police stated that Gonzalez was driving a school safety vehicle near Millikan High School when he encountered a fight between Rodriguez and an unidentified 15-year-old girl. According to police, Rodriguez knew the girl and had allegedly initiated the fight.
When the officer broke up the fight, he told the two teenage girls to sit down, but Rodriguez jumped into the passenger seat of a vehicle occupied by two others who were “also involved in the assault,” according to the police. As the vehicle sped away, the school safety officer drew his weapon, despite Gonzalez’s efforts to stop the teenagers.
The online video appeared to show the safety officer firing at least two shots as the vehicle accelerated away from him. At least one bullet penetrated a car window. Several days later, Rodriguez was taken off of life support.
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Settlement Worth $13 Million
Tuesday, attorneys for Rodriguez’s family announced that Long Beach Unified School District will pay them $13 million. The funds are used to settle a wrongful death suit filed in December 2021.
The attorneys for Rodriguez’s family stated that Gonzalez was not in danger and that the car was moving away from him when Rodriguez fired.
The lawsuit claimed the district was negligent in its hiring and training of the defendant. Before being hired by the district, Gonzalez failed his probationary periods with the Los Alamitos and Sierra Madre police departments, according to the lawsuit.
He maintained his innocence and is awaiting trial. His attorneys have argued that the former officer fired in self-defense out of fear for his life.
The school district stated in a statement that it had not seen or ratified a settlement agreement and therefore could not discuss specifics.
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