Mona Rodriguez is an 18-year-old Long Beach, California, woman who is on life support after being shot in a car by a school safety officer. Video shows the shooting. You can watch it below, but be aware that it’s disturbing.
“She is on life support at the moment and we are hoping for a miracle,” family member Iran Rodriguez wrote on a GoFundMe page for Rodriguez, where the family has shared a series of heartbreaking photos of her in the hospital.
One woman who donated wrote, “My heart goes out to the family, especially her son. This should have never happened. You’re all in my thoughts and prayers. I’m a mother here in Long Beach. My kids go to school here as well. I’m outraged by the way the school and frankly, the city has responded to this. I’m actually thinking about pulling my kids out of the school system because of what happened. I don’t feel like my kids are safe at a school where they employ men with guns that don’t know how to use them. Your family has my support and I hope the city gets behind them too.”
The tragedy occurred near Millikan High School in Long Beach, California.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Long Beach police say Rodriguez “was involved in a fight with a 15-year-old girl in a parking lot near Millikan High School” on the afternoon of September 27, 2021. She got into a car with two teenage males and the officer started shooting as the car “sped away.” Rodriguez was in the passenger seat, The Times reported. The officer has not been identified. Police said Rodriguez was shot in the upper body, but her family says she was shot in the head, the Times reported.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Family’s Lawyer Says Rodriguez Was Shot While a Passenger in a Car Driven by Her Boyfriend; Video Shows the Car Came Close to Striking the Officer
The video shows the officer breaking up a fight. Then, he is standing near the car when it drives off, coming close to hitting him. The officer opens fire at that moment.
Her full name is Manuela Rodriguez. The Carrillo Law Firm sent a letter to the California Attorney General on September 29, 2021. The law firm represents Rodriguez’s family. The letter says she was “tragically shot on September 27, 2021, by a Long Beach Unified School District Resource Officer and she currently remains in the intensive care unit of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.”
According to the letter, videos from bystanders showed “this School Resource Officer taking reckless action when he shot into a moving vehicle and gravely injured Ms. Manuela Rodriguez.” She was the passenger in a vehicle being driven by her boyfriend, Rafeul Haider Chowdury “ when she was unjustifiably shot.” The letter says there was “no justification to use deadly force against Ms. Rodriguez because Ms. Rodriguez did not pose an imminent threat to the officer when she was shot by the officer.”
The law firm is requesting that the Attorney General “undertake an investigation.” Although she has not died, the family was informed by the hospital that they should make funeral arrangements as she is on life support. The letter was signed by attorney Luis A. Carrillo.
The Los Angeles Times says that video evidence shows “the sedan exiting the parking lot and nearly clipping the safety officer.”
2. The Superintendent Says Rodriguez Was Shot by a School Safety Officer ‘Responding to an Altercation’
GoFundMeMona Rodriguez
The Superintendent of Schools, Jill A. Baker, released an open letter on Facebook that addressed what happened.
“The opening of this school year, after a year and a half of most LBUSD students being at home for school, has been filled with many highs and some absolute lows. One of those lows occurred yesterday afternoon when an LBUSD school safety officer discharged his duty weapon while responding to an altercation at the corner of Spring Street and Palo Verde Avenue. This incident has greatly impacted our school district community, and we are collectively holding the shooting victim in our thoughts,” the superintendent wrote.
“In LBUSD, we take the health and safety of our staff and students seriously. No matter the role in which one serves, our employees know that student and staff safety is the foundation of our day to day work. While yesterday’s incident may make some of you question your student’s sense of safety, we will continue to work hard to ensure that you don’t have to question our commitment. For any student who has been impacted by this incident, we recommend they seek support through their school counselor.”
Baker added: “Our school safety officers are hired to protect the physical safety of our staff and students on and around campuses. They are highly trained and held accountable to the established standards in their profession. Those standards will be used to assess the incident that occurred yesterday. Like many of you, my heart is heavy today. And, with my heavy heart, I will continue to stand strong with our Long Beach family to work day-in and day-out to help all of our students feel safe, seen, heard and supported in their schools and in our community.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, Rodriguez was not a student at the school.
3. There Is a GoFundMe Set Up to Help Rodriguez & Her Family
GoFundMeMona Rodriguez
Yessica Loza organized a GoFundMe page to help Rodriguez and her family. It’s raised more than $15,000.
“I am making this go fund me because today my cousin in law was shot behind her head by a school safety guard,” she wrote.
“Mona is leaving behind her mom, 4 brothers, and her sister but most importantly she’s leaving behind her 5 month old baby boy Isael. If you are reading this please help me help her family during this time of need, if you can’t donate please share this so we can find donors. Anything donated will be for Mona’s medical expenses/life support and her son.”
The page concluded, “We are asking for help, the money is going to be used for the funeral, lawyers, and baby Isael. Isael is now left behind to grow up with no mommy. We are going to fight for justice. #justiceformona:
4. Rodriguez Was Described as ‘Smart, Beautiful, Loving’
GoFundMeMona Rodriguez
In the GoFundMe campaign, Loza described Rodriguez as smart and loving.
“Mona was only 18 years old and a mother to a 5 month old baby boy when her life was taken away…. She was smart, beautiful, loving and anyone who knew her knew how big her heart was, how full of life she was and how much she loved her family but most especially her son who was her entire life, pride and joy,” she wrote.
“Her mom is heart broken and devastated and as a mother myself I can’t imagine leaving my kids behind or loosing one…. We are all trying to be there to support her family during this hard time. We are all heart broken and in pain never did we imagine we would loose her like this or so soon she had her entire life ahead of her and because of a careless act done by a school safety guard a 5 month old baby boy was left without a mother and we all lost someone we loved so much.”
She added, “I beg anyone reading this to help in a way they possibly can please…. anything and I mean absolutely anything will be deeply appreciated from the bottom of our hearts. Mona I promise you we wont let your son forget you. Everyday we will remind him of you and tell him how much you loved him and how he meant the world to you…. We will forever keep your love for him alive please watch over all those who loved you and visit your baby in his dreams every night your family will always love you and your son will always be taken care of, I promise…”
5. People Described Rodriguez as ‘Considerate to Others’; Her Boyfriend Wants the Officer to Face Charges
GoFundMeMona Rodriguez
People offered tributes to Rodriguez on the GoFundMe page. “I’ve known Mona since middle school. She was such a good person and was so considerate of others. I hope she can Rest In Peace and my condolences to her family,” wrote one woman.
Rodriguez’s boyfriend and the father of her child has called for the officer to face charges.
“I want (the safety officer) in jail for what he did to my girlfriend — she did not deserve this,” said Chowdhury, 20, to the Press Telegram. “I cannot sleep through the nights; I’m going crazy.”
His brother was also in the car and told the Press Telegram, “We got in the car, we were already leaving. (The school safety officer is) at the back of the car getting the plates — and reading it to his walkie-talkie — when he decides to come to the side of the car where the fender is and screams, ‘Hey!’ when we’re leaving.”
The newspaper reported that the safety officer is not a sworn police officer. He is an employee of the Long Beach school district and is on administrative leave while an investigation occurs.
READ NEXT: These Are the 13 Marines & Service Members Who Died in the Afghanistan Attack at Kabul Airport