STOCKTON, California — A Sacramento family says they are seeking justice and answers following a deadly officer-involved shooting that killed 54-year old Tracy Gaeta of Sacramento.
"I can't rest. I can't sleep. I can't think without knowing why and what happened," said daughter Tressie Gaeta.
"The whole story in itself just seems like a movie. It just seems far-fetched," her son Alex Gaeta said.
It all unfolded in the area of Charter Way and I-5 shortly after 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon in south Stockton.
According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, a Stockton Police Patrol vehicle was struck by another car, which then took off.
That's when another Stockton police unit located the car about a mile away in the area of Fresno Avenue and Highway 4, allegedly running a red light.
According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, the Stockton police officer tried to pull the car over, but it kept going.
A pursuit began and ended a few miles away at Rolerson Road near Roberts Road in the Delta.
An officer got out of his patrol car and ordered the driver to get out of their car.
Instead, the sheriff's office says the driver shifted into reverse, ramming the patrol car, causing the patrol car's door to knock down the officer.
The officer then opened fire.
"She didn't deserve this. She didn't. That woman was everything," said Kelly Silva, Alex Gaeta's fiancée.
The family says Tracy Gaeta had been going through some depression over the break-up of a long-term relationship and had no idea what she was doing in Stockton.
Still, they say none of it constituted being shot to death by a police officer.
"I do not want her to be remembered as someone who was gunned down. We want to know what happened. And, we won't rest until we find out what happened," said Lisa Cooper, Gaeta's niece.
"Wasn't there other alternatives they could have used to do that? I think that was really excessive and we would like to have answers," said Betty Faciane, Gaeta's sister.
The family describes Tracy Gaeta as a "loving, caring, honest, heartful woman."
She was a "family person," who was a retired child care provider and volunteered as a crossing guard at schools.
A check of court records shows Tracy Gaeta has no criminal history in Sacramento or San Joaquin Counties.
Tressie Gaeta had this plea to the public.
"Please, if anybody has any information, please come forward. Tell us anything. We need to know."
