Woman shot in face with rubber bullet wins $2 million settlement from Fort Lauderdale
MIAMI - The City of Fort Lauderdale approved a $1.975 million settlement with LaToya Ratlieff, the woman who was shot in the face with a rubber bullet during a 2020 protest.
The settlement, finalized during Tuesday night's City Commission meeting, closes a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Ratlieff against the city and its police department.
Ratliff's attorney Benedict Kuehne said in a statement that this is a win for the community.
"Not only must the City pay $1.97 million to LaToya for the senseless police shooting that nearly blinded her and caused life-impacting injuries, but the Fort Lauderdale Police Department must implement progressive tactical and training policies that will protect the community," he said.
Ratlieff, who was peacefully demonstrating on May 31, 2020, during a protest sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, was struck by a rubber bullet fired by a Fort Lauderdale police officer.
A bystander's video showed Ratlieff was struck as she choked on tear gas that had been fired by officers and stumbled into a street. She suffered a broken right eye socket, nerve damage to that eye and a 20-stitch gash to her forehead that left a scar. Her attorneys said she also suffers migraines and mental trauma.
The round that struck Ratlieff was made of collapsible, hollow foam that is typically filled with a chemical irritant. According to its manufacturer, it is about the size of a golf ball, weighs slightly less and has an initial velocity of 200 mph. The rounds are supposed to be aimed at the legs and buttocks as they can be lethal if they hit the head or chest.
While a judge ruled that individual officers involved could not be held liable, the city itself faced claims that it violated protesters' civil rights by using excessive force, including tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds during the Black Lives Matter demonstration.