A school safety officer may actually face justice following a deadly shooting near Millikan High School in Long Beach last month.
Eddie Gonzalez has been charged with murder after the shooting death of 16-year-old Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez. The incident took place after the safety officer supposedly broke up a fight between the teen mom and a 15-year-old girl. Mona then got into a car with her boyfriend and his younger brother, and they drove away. According to witnesses, Gonzalez inexplicably drew his gun and shot at the vehicle — striking the pregnant passenger in the back of the head. You can see the harrowing moment take place (below).
Rodriguez was sadly taken off life support one week after the incident. She leaves behind her 5-month-old son Isael.
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The killing sparked an outcry as the officer was not immediately arrested despite pretty obvious wrongdoing. All too often we’ve seen police officers let off the hook because of their job, and many in the community feared that would happen this time, too. Thankfully not so far.
Speaking on the charges, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said on Wednesday:
“We must hold accountable the people we have placed in positions of trust to protect us. That is especially true for the armed personnel we traditionally have relied upon to guard our children on their way to and from and at school.”
The 51-year-old is set to appear in court on Friday for an arraignment. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Rodriguez’s baby boy, as well as pay for funeral expenses and a lawyer. We’re thinking of Mona’s loved ones as they continue to grieve her loss.
[Image via GoFundMe]
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