Photos: Tracy Gaeta Family\Twitter
Lawyers for the family of a California grandmother fatally shot by authorities accused police of excessive force Wednesday, saying that even though she backed her car into a law enforcement vehicle, she was unarmed and never threatened officers.
Tracy Gaeta, 54, died after a K-9 officer in Stockton fired more than 30 shots into her car Feb. 22, according to body camera video released April 7.
A lawyer for the family, Gary Gwilliam, said that the officer acted against policies adopted by many departments that bar or discourage police from firing at moving vehicles.
“No matter what was going on with her — even if she had committed a heinous crime — he didn’t have the right to shoot her,” he said in an interview. “She never threatened him.”
“The excessive force is shocking,” he added.
In a statement, Angelina Austin, a lawyer with Gwilliam’s firm, added: “Like too many Black women across this country, Tracy Gaeta is yet another victim of preventable police violence.” Read more.
