• San Diego to pay $30 million to the family of Konoa Wilson, a 16-year-old shot by police.
• The payout is among the largest in a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from police actions.
• Officer Daniel Gold shot Wilson while responding to a different incident at Santa Fe Depot.
• The settlement is a business decision, not an admission of liability by the city.
• Wilson's family attorney described the quick settlement as a noble act by the city.

The city of San Diego has agreed to pay $30 million to the family of 16-year-old Konoa Wilson, who was fatally shot by police officer Daniel Gold II as he fled a shooting at the Santa Fe Depot. This settlement resolves a wrongful death lawsuit filed in June and could be the largest of its kind in the United States, surpassing the $27 million paid to George Floyd's family in 2021, according to Reuters, India Times, and Los Angeles Times.

The incident, which occurred on January 28, involved Wilson running away from another individual who opened fire at the platform. Body-worn camera footage showed Gold firing two shots at Wilson as he passed by, with Gold only announcing himself as an officer after firing, reports indicate. Wilson was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly afterward, according to Reuters and Los Angeles Times.

This $30 million payment will be primarily funded through a public liability fund, with the city covering $5 million of the total. The settlement comes as a business decision rather than an admission of liability by the police department or the city. Nicholas Rowley, attorney for Wilson's family, stated, "I've never seen a city take responsibility so quickly," highlighting the city's swift action in addressing the wrongful death claim, as noted by India Times and Los Angeles Times.

While Wilson was found to be carrying a handgun that night, according to the lawsuit, he did not pose a threat to Gold at the time of the shooting. The family's legal claims included accusations of “racial violence,” suggesting systemic racism influenced the officer's perception and reaction, resulting in the fatal shot. Rowley noted Wilson's history of being targeted by gang members, which prompted him to carry a gun for protection, as reported by Reuters and India Times.