The city of San Diego is poised to approve a $30 million settlement to the family of a Black teenager who was fatally shot by a police officer in January, a sum that would rank among the largest ever for a police-involved killing in the United States.
A Catastrophic Failure of Policing
A resolution authorising the proposed payout to the family of 16-year-old Konoa Wilson has been scheduled for a city council vote on Tuesday morning. The settlement stems from an incident on 28 January 2025, when Wilson was shot by San Diego Police Officer Daniel Gold.
"What happened to Konoa was a catastrophic failure of policing," said the family's attorney, Nick Rowley. "A 16-year-old boy was running for his life. He was not a threat and not a suspect, yet he was shot in the back by a police officer who only saw him for one second before deciding to pull the trigger."
The Events of January 28
Surveillance and body-worn camera footage from that day showed Wilson fleeing from an individual who had pulled a gun and fired at him inside a downtown train station. As Wilson exited the station, he encountered Officer Gold.
According to a lawsuit filed by the family in June, Officer Gold "instantly, without any warning" fired two shots at Wilson as he ran past. The suit alleges the officer only identified himself as police after Wilson had been struck in the upper body and fallen to the ground.
"Defendants committed acts of racial violence against DECEDENT, a teenager, by shooting him in his back as he ran past Defendant GOLD, in an attempt to get to a place of safety," the legal filing stated. Wilson was pronounced dead at UC San Diego Health Medical Centre less than an hour after the shooting.
Historic Settlement and Broader Context
If approved by the council, the $30 million settlement will be paid from the city's Public Liability Fund. This figure would surpass the $27 million paid by the city of Minneapolis to the family of George Floyd, whose 2020 murder ignited a global movement against police brutality and racial injustice.
The proposed agreement underscores the severe financial and reputational consequences cities face over allegations of excessive force and racial bias within police departments. It represents a significant legal resolution for the victim's family while highlighting ongoing national debates about police reform and accountability.
