- Matt Esnayra
Mona Rodriguez, woman shot by Long Beach school safety officer, dead at 18
Mona Rodriguez, the 18-year-old shot by an LBUSD school safety officer last week, has died. The Rodriguez family attorney announced via a statement.
What happened:
According to attorney Luis Carrillo, Rodriguez was taken off life support. She gave her heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys to five people in need.
The procedure took place at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center on Tuesday, where she had remained for the past eight days after being shot.
Mr. Carrillo said via a statement the doctors and nurses at Long Beach Memorial gave Rodriguez a "Hero’s Celebration" with her favorite song, Skeezy's "Letter To My Son," being played as she was accompanied to the operation room.
Rodriguez ceased breathing at 5:14 p.m. Tuesday after her organs were removed.
Backstory:
The Long Beach Police, the shooting occurred on Monday, Sept 27, just after 3:00 p.m., at a shopping center parking lot around Spring Street and Palo Verde Avenue, near Millikan High School. A school safety officer was driving when he watched a fight between Rodriguez and a 15-year-old girl. When Rodriguez, a male adult, and a teenager attempted to flee in a 4-door gray sedan, the school safety officer approached the sedan and fired his gun in the rear passenger side window, striking Rodriguez in the head.
LBUSD, school safety officer Eddie F. Gonzalez was involved in the shooting and is currently on administrative leave.
Mr. Carrillo called for the state attorney general to take over the investigation
Rodriguez leaves behind a 5-month-old son
A GoFundMe page has accumulated over $25,000.