City rejects claim in MacDonald shooting

A third claim against Huntington Beach concerning the shooting of teenager Ashley MacDonald was filed Thursday after previous claims on behalf of the girl’s parents were rejected earlier this month.

In the early morning hours of Aug. 25, MacDonald, who was 18, was shot and killed in Sun View Park after she chased one Huntington Beach police officer around a patrol vehicle with a knife, Orange County District prosecutors said during a news conference in January.

City officials rejected the claim after prosecutors released a report concluding that the shooting by officers Shawn Randell and Read Parker was justified, city spokeswoman Laurie Payne said Thursday.

The Orange County Coroner’s report found that at the time of her death MacDonald had high levels of methamphetamines in her system. Witnesses told authorities that she had been screaming, “I’m on drugs, just shoot me.” The report also stated that the officers shot MacDonald 15 times in the front and side of her abdomen.

Letters rejecting the two claims filed by MacDonald family attorney Jerry Steering were sent out on Feb. 1, officials said Wednesday.

“They always deny claims — that’s what they do,” Steering said.

Steering filed wrongful death claims against the city for both MacDonald’s father Kenneth MacDonald, who lives in Connecticut, and mother Lisa Guy in 2006. This most recent claim was filed on behalf of MacDonald’s estate for any pain she may have suffered between the shooting and her death almost an hour later, Steering said.

“If this next claim is rejected, we will sue,” Steering said, adding that “[Guy] doesn’t want to let them get away with it.”