The parents of a 16-year-old boy fatally shot by a San Diego police officer earlier this year have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and the officer involved, alleging excessive use of force and a failure to properly assess the situation.
The incident occurred on January 28, 2025, near the Santa Fe Depot in downtown San Diego. Konoa Wilson was reportedly fleeing from a gunman who had opened fire on him when he encountered Officer Daniel Gold, a two-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department.
Body camera footage shows Gold firing two rounds at Wilson without issuing a warning, striking the teen in the upper body. Wilson was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
A concealed, unused handgun was later found under Wilson’s clothing, but no evidence suggested he had drawn or brandished the weapon during the incident.
Roger Clark, a police practices expert and former law enforcement officer, reviewed footage from the scene and concluded that Wilson appeared to be fleeing gunfire and did not pose an immediate threat to anyone at the time he was shot.
The lawsuit claims Wilson posed no threat to Officer Gold or the public and that the officer’s actions were unjustified.
Authorities later arrested another 16-year-old juvenile suspected of being the initial gunman who targeted Wilson. That suspect was taken into custody a week after the incident.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched by the Wilson family to raise funds for legal fees and memorial expenses.
