‘A slap in the face’: Miami Beach Police officer speaks out on suspension after 2024 friendly fire shooting

A Miami Beach Police officer who was suspended from the force over a year after she accidentally shot a fellow officer while pursuing a subject spoke publicly for the first time about the happening and her suspension Speaking with News alongside her attorney in Miami Lakes Wednesday afternoon Miami Beach Police Officer Shenaqua Stringer declared learning she might be fired felt like a slap in the face In that moment I didn t think about myself I thought about saving lives she stated That fateful moment along the Venetian Causeway on March left Officer Fabio Bolanos with a bullet in his leg and Stringer with her career hanging in the balance One of my co-workers is injured I never had a minute to process she recounted News The accidental shooting happened as Stringer responded to a call of a man with a gun on the causeway That suspect investigators noted turned out to only be carrying a metal lighter As he was apprehended by Stringer Bolanos rushed to help but was shot by his co-worker More than a year later she learned she was being suspended I m facing termination That really is a slap in the face she declared Miami Beach Police relieved Stringer of duty pending an administrative process but if she s fired she will take legal action That promise came from her attorney Michael Pizzi They will be sued and they will lose he reported Pizzi and Stringer pointed out that just a limited months ago and well after the shooting ranking members of the police department planned to promote her As this was happening Stringer mentioned she was hit on social media I m seeing all these comments Oh women shouldn t be in law enforcement DEI hire Who hired her ' she reported as she quoted particular of the comments Stringer became emotional as she expressed how painful it felt to read these remarks That s a hard pill to swallow I was outcasted she announced as she fought back tears Stringer insisted she did nothing wrong on that bridge By Florida statute if it looks like a gun it s a gun she disclosed When inquired whether she would have done anything differently that day Stringer replied The only thing I could ve done different was not respond to the call but that s not me Bolanos meanwhile declared he s suing the department for improper training and other reasons As for Stringer she mentioned that while her firearm went off she never pulled the trigger that day I ve literally between two agencies been doing this for years and in seconds my professional career was ruined she explained