Mona Rodriguez case: Long Beach school resource officer charged with murder released on bond
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Eddie Gonzalez, the former Long Beach Unified School District safety officer who was charged with murder in the deadly shooting of 18-year-old Manuela "Mona" Rodriguez, was released on bond, jail records show.
Eddie Gonzalez (FOX 11)
According to data from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Gonzalez was released just after 2:15 p.m. Thursday.
"It would not be appropriate for LBPD to comment on decisions made by the DA's Office or on potential pending legal proceedings. We will continue to work closely with the DA’s Office and continue to share any information and findings pertinent to the investigation," the Long Beach Police Department said in a statement Friday.
On Sept. 27, 2021, Rodriguez was shot near Spring Street and Palo Verde Avenue, near Millikan High School.
Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna said detectives determined that the school safety officer was driving on patrol when he saw a physical altercation between Rodriguez and a 15-year-old girl occurring in the lanes of traffic.
Rodriguez was accompanied by a 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy "whose level of participation is still under investigation," according to the police chief.
When Rodriguez, the man and the boy attempted to flee in a four-door sedan, the school safety officer approached the car and discharged his weapon as the driver began driving away, Luna said.
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"Mona was in the front passenger seat of the vehicle and was struck by the gunfire," the police chief said.
Rodriguez was on life support until Oct. 5. Her family's lawyer said her heart, lungs, liver and kidneys were donated that day, saving the lives of five people.
About a week after the shooting, Gonzalez was fired by the LBUSD. About a month later, he was charged with her killing, and was held on a $2 million bail. In early December, Gonzalez pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
City News Service contributed to this report.