An Indian-origin techie has been shot dead by the police in the US state of California after he allegedly attempted to stab his roommate with a knife, media reports said.
The deceased techie was identified as Mohammed Nizamuddin from Mahabubnagar in Telangana.
The incident of ‘stabbing’ reportedly occurred on September 3 in Santa Clara.
In a press conference addressed by the Santa Clara police department, Chief of Police Cory Morgan was quoted as saying by the media that officers received a 911 call at 6.18 am (local time) from the 1800 block of Eisenhower Drive about a violent altercation between two roommates.
“As officers were en route, they were informed that the suspect had escalated the situation and was stabbing the victim,” he was quoted as saying by The Deccan Chronicle.
The police said officers found Mohammed Nizamuddin holding a knife and pinning down his injured roommate.
“The officer attempted de-escalation through verbal commands, but the suspect ignored them and raised his arm with the knife to strike. As the knife came down towards the victim, the officer fired four rounds, all of which struck the suspect,” Morgan was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
Nizamuddin and his roommate were rushed to different hospitals.
Nizamuddin was later pronounced dead.
His family in India demanded a detailed probe into the circumstances that led to his death.
He was a quiet and religious person, and had even publicly raised complaints of racial harassment, wage fraud, and wrongful termination from the job, his family was quoted as saying by NDTV.
They also sought the assistance of the Ministry of External Affairs to transport his mortal remains to India.
Majlis Bachao Tehreek spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan wrote on X: “One Mohammed Nizamuddin-29 years resident of Mahbubnagar District in Telangana State, who went to persue Masters in the USA and was living in Santa Clara in California was shot dead by police during a commotion with his roommates, His mortal remains are lying in a hospital in Santa Clara, California. His father Mohammed Hasnuddin had requested @DrSJaishankar to ask @IndianEmbassyUS & @CGISFO to inquire in details of death of his son and make necessary arrangements to send mortal remains back to Mahbubnagar District in Telangana.”
