Woman Shot by Fmr. Agawam Police Officer Shares Her Story

AGAWAM, Mass. (WGGB) – One year after being accidentally shot in the face Britteney Miles shares her story.
On May 5, 2012, the Agawam resident called 911 after she thought someone was breaking into her apartment. It turned out to be her boyfriend.
“If I had known it was my boyfriend I would have never called the cops. I would have went to the front door and opened it,” said Miles.
Miles was shot as she was at the door to meet the police.
“I walked over to open the door and before I could get my door open, she fired her gun and it went through the door and hit me in the face,” said Miles.
She was pregnant and holding her two-year-old daughter at the time. She didn’t know she was shot until an officer told her what happened.
“They had me laying on the ground and I was still bleeding,” said Miles.
The whole time she adds the focus was on her children.
“I was afraid they were gonna go to DSS or a foster home and I was gonna die and my kids aren’t gonna know what happened to me,” said Miles.
Britteney has scars on her chin and neck. She is still in pain and worries about going out in public.
“Anything could go wrong, any moment and it makes if difficult to be out doing things,” said Miles.
The officer who shot her was Danielle Petrangelo. She was cleared by the District Attorney of any criminal wrong doing, but is no longer with the department.
Miles may testify at a jobs status hearing for the former officer in October.
Meantime, her attorney Bruce Milikian is reviewing the police findings and medical reports to determine if civil action should be taken.
“In this particular case, while there was no criminal wrong doing, doesn’t mean there wasn’t wrongdoing,” said Milikian
For Miles, every day is astruggle as her anxiety continues to get worse and the pain is a constant reminder of that terrifying morning. “Anything could go wrong at any moment and it makes it difficult to be out doing things,” she says.
A hearing is set for October for Officer Petrngelo to determine her job status. Miles may be testifying about what happened during the shooting.
We reached out to the Agawam Police Department for comment, but have not heard back.