Mahabubnagar man shot dead by US police

MAHABUBNAGAR: A man fatally shot by a Santa Clara police officer in California earlier this month has been identified as Mohammed Nizamuddin, originally from Mahabubnagar district in Telangana.

Santa Clara Police Chief Cory Morgan said the incident began as a dispute between Nizamuddin and his roommate at a residence on Eisenhower Drive. As the situation escalated into a stabbing, an officer arrived to find Nizamuddin actively stabbing his roommate.

“The officer attempted to de-escalate the situation with verbal commands, but the suspect ignored the commands and raised the knife in a striking position above the victim,” Morgan told reporters. “When the officer saw the suspect’s hand come down towards the victim, the officer shot four times, striking the suspect with all four shots.”

Nizamuddin was taken to hospital where he later died. Police said the roommate sustained injuries to his hands, chest, lung and abdomen but survived. Investigators found that Nizamuddin had used two knives during the attack, continuing with a second after the first broke.

Police said four people were inside the home when the officer forced entry and witnessed the attack. The officer, identified as 12-year veteran Robert Allsup, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal probe and a review by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.

Family seeks government help

Back in India, Nizamuddin’s family, who reside in Ramaiah Bowli in Mahbubnagar, said he had been living in the US for about a decade and was the primary breadwinner. His father, Mohammed Hasnuddin, has written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, requesting intervention from the Indian Embassy in Washington DC and the Consulate General of India in San Francisco to repatriate the mortal remains.

“I do not know the actual reasons why police shot him dead. I request necessary steps to repatriate his mortal remains,” Hasnuddin said in his letter.

The family said they were informed of his death nearly two weeks after the incident, which has caused deep distress.