THORNTON, Colo. (CN) - The family of a 30-year-old woman who was shot and killed by law enforcement investigating her vehicle's missing license plate sued the City of Thornton and officers in the Jefferson County District Court.
"Jasmine Castro was shot at least thirteen times, mostly in the back, including the back of her head," the Estate of Jasmine Castro wrote in the 12-page complaint.
Citing unreasonable seizure and use of force, the lawsuit filed Thursday names police officers Mark Faivre, Tim Fuss and Schott Schilb who each fired at Jasmine Castro, as well as the City of Thornton that employed them. Located 10 miles north of Denver, Thornton is home to about 150,000 people.
"What happened to Jasmine Castro was horrific," said her family's attorney Jason Kosloski over email. "This case is about a pattern of conduct and systemic failures that led to her death. We are seeking accountability and answers."
On April 30, 2024, at about 2:37 a.m., 30-year-old Castro was riding in an Infiniti EX with Joby Vigil. The car had no license plate, drawing the attention of Thornton police.
As part of the city's proactive "IMPACT team," officers Faivre, Fuss and Schilb, in unmarked vehicles and plain clothes, began following the Infiniti through Adams County, onto the highway and into Lakewood.
According to the complaint, the officers did not notify local police of the pursuit and did not identify themselves to Vigil and Castro.
"From the perspective of a reasonable person in the Infiniti, all they would know is that they are being chased all over metro Denver in the middle of the night by people in cars that do not look like police cars," the estate said in the complaint.
After the Infiniti pulled into a gas station, officers reported gunshots being aimed at them before the vehicle sped away and later crashed in a ditch.
According to the complaint, Faivre was about 10 feet away when he first shot at Castro as she climbed headfirst out of the car window.
Fuss then fired at Castro with a handgun, saying "he saw a black object" in her hand, the civil complaint states.
According to a review conducted by the First Judicial District Attorney's Office, Schilb then saw a gun on the ground near Castro. He told investigators he thought she would use it.
Armed with an assault rifle, Schilb shot Castro several times as she lay on the ground.
Faivre shot Vigil because he believed he was armed, according to the district attorney's office.
It remains unclear whether Vigil or Castro was driving the Infiniti, an issue disputed by the city and the family.
In a letter detailing her decision not to pursue charges, District Attorney Alexis King criticized the city's use-of-force policy and wrote that the officers' "perceptions of an imminent threat and decision to shoot were not reasonable."
Castro's mother, Nancy, told Courthouse News she mourns the loss of her daughter every day.
"Jasmine was my daughter. She was loved, and she mattered," Nancy Castro wrote over email. "Losing Jasmine has left a hole in my life that will never be filled. I will never hear her voice again or see her smile again."
A spokesperson for the city declined to comment.
Source: Courthouse News Service
