Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez.Photo: GoFundMe
The Long Beach Police Department announced the development Thursday.
Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez, 18, wastaken off of life supporton Tuesday, just over a week after she was shot in the back of the head while leaving Millikan High School in Long Beach, Calif.
Initially, the school safety officer who shot Rodriguez on Sept. 27 — since identified as Long Beach Unified School District Safety Officer Eddie F. Gonzalez — was placed on administrative leave.
Gonzalez was fired Wednesday as the result of a vote held during a closed school board meeting, theLos Angeles Times,Mercury NewsandSan Bernardino Sunreport.
Now, Gonzalez is facing possible criminal prosecution.
A police statement alleges “the school safety officer was driving when he observed a physical altercation between” Rodriguez “and a 15-year-old female juvenile victim occurring in the street.”
It continues: “Investigators have determined a 20-year-old male adult and a 16-year-old male juvenile were also involved; however, their participation level remains under investigation. When the male adult, the male juvenile, and Rodriguez attempted to flee in a 4-door gray sedan, the school safety officer approached the vehicle to prevent them from fleeing and discharged his firearm.”
Rodriguez, a young mother with an infant, was in the front passenger seat of the car when the shooting occurred.
The shooting left Rodriguez brain dead. Her family said five lives were saved because Rodriguez was an organ donor.
No charges had been filed in this case as of Friday morning.
In a statement, Long Beach Unified School District Superintendent Jill Baker said the decision to terminate Gonzalez was “frankly the right thing to do,” as he apparently violated district policies.
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Rodriguez’s relatives, who have been calling for Gonzalez’s arrest, have not commented yet on the police department’s announcement.
The family has launcheda GoFundMe campaignto cover the mother’s funeral expenses and to support her 5-month-old son.
source: people.com
