To provide full details about the officer-involved shooting at Union City Station on November 18, BART has released body camera footage. The incident involved 32-year-old Jasmine Gao, who BART Police Officer Nicholas Poblete shot during a traffic stop concerning a reckless driving report. According to a statement BART released, the officers engaged with Gao after learning her vehicle's registration had expired. Notably, the released footage is unedited except for "statutorily mandated redactions," said BART's Chief of Police Kevin Franklin, to ensure "full transparency and accountability."
The release, made public on Friday, includes a 49-minute video from both responding officers' cameras, capturing their interaction with Gao, who appeared increasingly agitated as the situation escalated. Eventually, she attempted to drive away, leading Poblete to fire three shots into the vehicle, striking Gao quickly. BART officials stated that Gao was then handcuffed and provided medical treatment before being transported to a hospital and was later discharged. Officer Poblete, with 6.5 years of service at BART Police, is on administrative leave pending the investigation.
As recounted in the CBS News coverage, the initial reason for the stop by Officer Poblete and an unnamed second officer was Gao's car, which matches the description of one seen doing doughnuts in the station's parking lot. Notably, after checking, one officer comments, "Yeah, it's not hot," apparently dismissing the suspicion the car was recently used for stunts. However, they then attempted to address the expired registration.
The footage details how officers repeatedly tried to convince Gao to provide her license, registration, and proof of insurance and to get out of the car, which she resisted until the moment she rapidly rolled up her window and drove off, prompting Poblete to discharge his firearm. BART has enlisted "an experienced third-party investigator to conduct the internal administrative investigation to ensure an unbiased and objective review," stated Franklin via BART's press release. However, neither BART police nor the Alameda County District Attorney's Office have responded to inquiries about whether any charges have been brought against Gao, with jail records indicating she isn't currently in custody.
