TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The family of a teenage girl who accused a Gulfport Police Officer of assault is taking her case to federal court.
This stems from an incident at Boca Ciega High School in September 2022 . The family attorney said then-15-year-old Maniya Sherriffe was left with bruises and a concussion, and they believe the officer violated her civil rights.
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“Minaya, since this incident, hasn’t been the same,” said Destiny Lewis, Sherriffe’s mother. “When she sees officers, she like, freaks out.”
It’s been a rough two years for the family, but they said they still want justice. They gathered outside the federal courthouse in Tampa Thursday just hours after filing a federal lawsuit.
“This is a case about the school board failing to have adequate resources and supervision,” Attorney Shannon Ligon said. “On the eve of school going back, we’re asking for safer schools for our students, safer workplaces for our employees, and that the police may be used as a last resort.”