$2M Settlement For Woman Shot in Face with Rubber Bullet

LaToya Ratlieff has won a $1.97 million dollar lawsuit against the City of Fort Lauderdale, four years after she was shot in the face with a rubber bullet during a peaceful protested following the police-murder of George Floyd.

The settlement was the result of a civil rights suit that Ratlieff filed against the City and its police department after a police officer severely injured her with a rubber bullet. Ratlieff was shot in the face by the projectile while choking on tear gas. Her ordeal was caught on camera by a bystander.

After being shot, Ratlieff’s injuries included a broken eye socket, nerve damage, permanent vision loss, a deep cut that required 20 stitches to her face and left scarring, chronic pain and mental trauma.

According to Ratlieff’s attorney, “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.”

A judge ruled that, as a result of qualified immunity, the individual officers responsible for tear gassing the crowd and shooting the rubber bullet that hit Ratlieff, could not be held liable. However, the ruling does stipulate that the police department must adopt new policies to prevent civil rights violations, such as this one, from happening in the future.