Key takeaways:
- The Long Beach Unified School District has reached a $13 million settlement agreement with the family of Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez.
- Rodriguez was fatally shot by a Millikan High School safety officer on September 27, 2021.
- The settlement agreement is a step towards justice for Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez and her family.
On Tuesday, attorneys for the family of Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez announced that the Long Beach Unified School District had reached a $13 million settlement agreement in the civil case related to her death. Rodriguez, 18, was fatally shot by a Millikan High School safety officer on September 27, 2021, after a physical altercation involving Rodriguez and a 15-year-old girl on the street.
Long Beach police said that Rodriguez had attempted to flee in a sedan and the school safety officer shot at the vehicle as it accelerated, striking Rodriguez, who was in the front passenger seat. Rodriguez was taken off life support in October 2021, more than a week after the shooting.
At a news conference aired by NBC Los Angeles Tuesday, Rodriguez’s brother, Omar Rodriguez, said “This is step one of accountability.” He noted that his sister had left behind a 5-month-old son.
The settlement agreement between the school district and the Rodriguez family is the latest development in the case. The school safety officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave, and the Long Beach Police Department is conducting an investigation into the incident.
The Rodriguez family’s attorneys said that the settlement agreement is a step towards justice for Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez and her family. They added that they will continue to seek justice for her and her son.
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