FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A protester who took a rubber bullet to the face is speaking out after the officer involved was exonerated.
Last May, Latoya Ratlieff was struck in the face with a rubber bullet fired by a police officer in Fort Lauderdale. After a monthslong investigation conducted by an independent contractor, it was found that the officer was following procedure.
“I remember getting the message that he was going to be exonerated, and I remember my heart dropped,” she said.
On Friday, Ratlieff returned to the scene where she was injured, saying she expected the results.
“But, to hear it and to feel it and to know that nothing is going to happen to an officer that could have blinded me…” she said.
Ratlieff was protesting the death of George Floyd when an unknown subject near her threw a tear gas canister at police.
The rubber bullet was fired in response, which the report said, is consistent with policies in training.
“The review involved taking nearly 30 sworn statements, reviewing hundreds of hours of body-worn camera footage,” said FLPD Interim Chief Patrick Lynn. “To Ms. Ratlieff, on behalf of the men and women of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, I want to express sincerest apology. We have worked together all of the facts of this case for a clear understanding of what occurred.”
The report did find two officers who were heard cursing and laughing were in violation.
“Did you see that motherf****r?” one officer said while laughing. “I just got the one f****r.”
Ratlieff spoke out about a bill in the Florida legislature, which, critics said, will infringe on the right to protest.
“If HB-1 had been the law on May 31, the organizers of that event could have been criminally liable, and even myself, as a victim, could have been criminally liable,” she said.
Supporters of the bill said it will prevent violent protesting and riots, but critics said it goes too far.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.