FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Attorneys for a woman who was struck in the face by a rubber bullet during a protest in May 2020 over the murder of George Floyd announced on Thursday she received nearly $2 million from the city of Fort Lauderdale to settle a federal lawsuit that accused the officer Fort Lauderdale police of violating her civil rights.
LaToya Ratlieff, 38, was struck in the eye after a FLPD detective fired a rubber bullet in the direction of protestors after police had deployed tear gas.
Ratlieff suffered a broken right eye socket, nerve damage in her right eye, and a laceration that has scarred her forehead, in addition to migraines and mental trauma, the Associated Press reported. She has also permanently lost some of her vision, WTVJ-Florida reported.
The manufacturer says the rubber bullet is nearly the size of a golf ball but weighs slightly less, and can travel at an initial velocity of 200 mph. Ratlieff was struck by a round that is made of hollow foam which collapses after being fired, and is usually filled with a chemical irritant. The rubber bullets are intended to be aimed at the lower half of the body; a shot to the head or chest could be lethal.
In a statement, the city of Fort Lauderdale said the settlement was “the best financial decision” to avoid the potential of more costs, and it is working to restore public trust while ensuring safety.
More on a federal lawsuit filed by protestors against the city and police department.
