STOCKTON, Calif., Jan. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — On the afternoon of February 22, 2022, following a minor traffic accident with an unidentified Stockton Police Department officer, Ms. Gaeta was pursued to an isolated, rural area of Stockton, California, where there were no witnesses to the tragic events that unfolded. Tracy Gaeta drew her last breath at the dead end of Rolerson Road, where in a matter of seconds, Ms. Gaeta was killed by an officer of the Stockton Police Department who fired thirty-three (33) bullets into her car in what the lawsuit alleges was a spectacular display of excessive force and reckless disregard for human life and malicious conduct.

Today, the children of Tracy Gaeta, a 54-year-old grandmother who was killed by a Stockton, CA police officer, filed suit in US District Court, Eastern District.

“The disregard for Tracy Gaeta’s life by a member of the Stockton Police Department is shocking and outrageous. We look forward to bringing justice to her family,” said Jayme Walker, Esq. of Gwilliam Ivary Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer, who represents the family. Ms. Walker continued, “Ms. Gaeta was not intoxicated. She was experiencing a mental health crisis. Her family is shocked she would be involved in any altercation with police let alone be killed by the police.”

The complaint states in part, “Instead of holding his position and waiting for additional officers to arrive on scene from the safety of his police cruiser, Defendant RIBERA unreasonably exited his vehicle and unnecessarily drew his service weapon, a show of force disproportionate to the seriousness of the alleged crime(s) in progress, leaving the scene of a minor traffic accident.”

“The excessive use of deadly force against Ms. Gaeta is simply egregious. It seems clear when reviewing the officer’s body cam and dashboard cam footage that the use of deadly force against Tracy Gaeta was intentional, excessive, and objectively unreasonable under the circumstances reflected in the video. This is another example of race playing a major role in the use of deadly force against minorities,” said Angelina Austin, Esq. with Gwilliam Ivary Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer.

“Officer Ribera unnecessarily escalated the situation, refused to wait a few minutes for backup and he exited his cruiser, then intentionally aimed, and fired approximately 33 rounds at Tracy Gaeta in a shocking show of excessive lethal force,” said Gary Gwilliam, Esq, with Gwilliam Ivary Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer, the Law Firm retained by the family of Tracy Gaeta.

CONTACTS: Gary Gwilliam [email protected] , Jayme Walker [email protected] and Angelina Austin [email protected] through email or by calling 510-832-5411

SOURCE The Law Firm of Gwilliam Ivary Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer