Florida Officer Cleared For Shooting Peaceful Protestor LaToya Ratlieff In The Eye With Rubber Bullet

SMH, no justice once again.

Source: Miami Herald / Getty

On May 31, 2020, LaToya Ratlieff was one of several people peacefully protesting during a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Fort Lauderdale Florida when she was struck in the face with a rubber bullet. 

The force of the bullet broke her eye socket and she needed 20 stitches to close the two-inch gash the projectile caused.

The Miami Herald which has been following Ratlieff’s story also concluded that Ratlieff was struck while choking on tear gas and running away from a conflict that “the police provoked.” The publication added that the shot could have killed the woman who suffers migraines, sees strange flashes, and suffers from memory loss.

According to the Fort Lauderdale police department’s weapons policy, officers using “foam baton” rounds, like the one fired by Ramos, should aim for the head and neck “only if deadly force becomes necessary.”

“Detective Ramos identified and targeted an individual who had hurled a projectile at our officers with the intent to cause them harm. The internal affairs investigation has determined that it was not Detective Ramos’s intent to strike Ms. Ratlieff,” said Lynn.

After hearing that the officer was exonerated,  Ratlieff returned to the scene where she was shot and told CBS Miami she was stunned by the decision. She also dismissed an apology she received from the Police Chief.

“Interim Chief Patrick Lynn gets to give a very, very bland apology for my experience, as if I had a bad dinner at a restaurant.  It’s disingenuous, it’s disheartening but if nothing else it’s invigorating,” said Ratlieff.

Her attorney has also called the entire investigation a “sham” and is calling for the release of the whole case file, not just the summary.

SMH. This whole situation is startling but unfortunately not surprising.

What do YOU think about an officer getting off for injuring LaToya Ratlieff?