A former school safety officer in California has pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter for fatally shooting an 18-year-old girl near a Long Beach high school in 2021. The officer, Eddie Gonzalez, initially faced murder charges in the killing of Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez, who was a young mother at the time of her death. The case ended in a mistrial earlier this year but Gonzalez agreed to the plea deal as part of a plea agreement.
During the incident, Gonzalez saw an altercation between Rodriguez and another individual outside the high school and approached her as she tried to flee in a vehicle. He fired at the vehicle, striking Rodriguez, who later died from her injuries. Gonzalez was terminated from his position with the school district the same day and was subsequently charged with murder.
The trial resulted in a mistrial, with the jury being deadlocked on whether to convict Gonzalez of second-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter. Rodriguez’s family was awarded a $13 million settlement from the school district in connection with her death, although the district did not admit liability.
Gonzalez will be sentenced to either three or six years in prison as part of the plea agreement. The case sparked outrage in the community and raised questions about the use of force by school safety officers.
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