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The San Diego City Council on Tuesday approved a $30 million payment to the family of a 16-year-old killed by police in one of the largest such settlements in U.S. history.
The settlement exceeds the $27 million the city of Minneapolis agreed to pay the family of George Floyd, whose May 2020 murder by a police officer who knelt on his neck sparked a nationwide racial reckoning.
Surveillance and body-worn camera footage from Jan. 28 showed Konoa Wilson running away from someone who pulled a gun and fired at him in a downtown train station. As he exited the station, Wilson encountered San Diego Police Officer Daniel Gold.
In the lawsuit against the city and Gold, the family alleged the officer “instantly, without any warning,” fired two shots at Wilson as he ran by, striking him in the upper body. The lawsuit identified Wilson as Black.
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CBS affiliate KFMB-TV reported earlier this year that Wilson’s mother filed a tort claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, saying her son did nothing wrong other than run for safety.
“My son was killed by a police officer (Daniel Gold) while running away from gunshots fired by a third party. He was shot in the back and represented no imminent threat to Officer Gold nor to anyone else at the time he was shot by Officer Gold,” the claim reads.
Councilmember Henry Foster III became emotional when speaking about the shooting, sharing his fears about the dangers that Black youth face: “If only you could understand the fear I feel when my son leaves the house.”
“Kanoa’s life was taken while fleeing from gunshots, and he found himself running into the arms of a police officer. This should not have happened,” Foster said.
He also questioned the state of reform since Floyd’s death: “Where’s the progress? Where’s the protect and serve? Better yet, where’s the accountability?”
He challenged Mayor Todd Gloria and Police Chief Scott Wahl to do better.
Lt. Cesar Jimenez, a spokesperson for the San Diego Police Department, said Gold is currently on an administrative assignment while the shooting is under investigation.
The department in releasing the body camera footage stated that officers found a gun under Wilson’s clothing as they administered first aid, though the teen did not pull it out before being shot by Gold.
The lawsuit said Gold did not announce he was a police officer until after shooting him in the back. It said Wilson was running past the officer “in an attempt to get to a place of safety.”
Wilson was pronounced dead less than an hour after he was taken to the hospital.
The family’s attorney, Nick Rowley, said the settlement “brings some semblance of accountability, but not closure.”
“You don’t get closure when your child is shot in the back for doing nothing wrong by the people who are supposed to be protecting him,” he said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. “We hope that Konoa’s story will send a message across the country: Cities will pay dearly when officers violate the law and take a life without justification.”
A San Diego Police spokesperson told KFMB-TV that Officer Gold is still on the force but is working in an administrative capacity. Public records indicate that Gold is listed as a Police Officer I, an entry-level position, the station reported.
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After the council approval, Mayor Gloria issued the following statement to KFMB:
“This is an absolutely heartbreaking situation. A young life was cut short, and as a city, we must face that loss with compassion and seriousness. My heart remains with Konoa’s family as they mourn. Working with the Police Chief, my focus now is on strengthening the tools and training our officers need to navigate the split-second, high-stress decisions their job demands. San Diegans expect a city that values life, supports its officers, and learns from tragedy. Those commitments must coexist — and that’s how we keep our city safe and united.”
