California Officers Caught Lying About Woman They Shot in the Back

A California woman received a substantial $6.75 million settlement from Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) following false claims asserting that she had assaulted an officer who shot her in the back during a traffic stop. On November 18, 2024, 33-year-old Jasmine Gao was stopped by two BART police officers investigating a driver performing doughnuts at Union City station. As they prepared to release her after realizing she wasn’t the suspect, they noticed her vehicle registration had expired.Tensions escalated when Officer Nicholas Poblete requested Gao’s license; he became increasingly frustrated with her responses. The situation intensified when Gao retrieved her ID, leading to a physical confrontation where Poblete threatened to use pepper spray. Gao fled, prompting Poblete to fire three shots, one striking her back.BART officials later confirmed that their initial report was inaccurate, acknowledging there was no risk to officers during the incident. Gao, having suffered life-altering injuries, received recognition and support after the settlement. (Photo: Body camera screenshot)