SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Bay Area Rapid Transit has reached a $6.75 million settlement with a woman who was shot in the back by a BART Police Department officer in Union City last November. Jasmine Gao, 33, reached a mediated, pre-litigation settlement with the transit agency on June 19, BART said Friday.
BART PD officers responded to the Union City BART Station on Nov. 18, 2024 on a report of a vehicle doing donuts. Gao was cleared of that possible crime when officers noted that her tires were cold.
Officers then determined that Gao’s vehicle registration appeared to be expired. When she drove away, BART PD officer Nicholas Poblete opened fire on her and she was shot in the back.
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Roughly 12 hours later, BART Chief of Police Kevin Franklin said that based on a preliminary investigation, Gao was “alleged to have assaulted a police officer.” BART officials initially claimed that Gao had dragged officers with her vehicle while driving away.
A subsequent review of body-worn camera footage revealed that Gao did not assault officers, was not dragging anyone, and was driving away when she was shot. BART further acknowledged that no officer was dragged or endangered by Gao driving away.
Following an administrative investigation, BART said Poblete was terminated…