A 32-year-old techie from Telangana, named Mohammad Nizamuddin, was shot dead in US's Santa Clara in California, after allegedly attacking his roommate with a knife. The incident reportedly took place on September 3, but his family learned of his death nearly two weeks later.
According to the Santa Clara Police Department (SCPD), they received a 911 call around 6:08 am local time on September 3 of a stabbing inside a residence. SCPD said, "The caller stated the suspect had stabbed one victim in the residence. SCPD officers arrived, encountered the suspect, and were involved in an officer-involved shooting. The suspect was transported to a local hospital and is being treated for injuries. The officer was not injured."
Two knives were recovered by the police from the scene. SCPD Chief Cory Morghan said that when the officers arrived, Nizamuddin was holding a knife in his hand and was threatening to attack further. Morghan stated, "Based on our preliminary investigation, we believe the officer's actions prevented further harm and clearly saved at least one life."
Who was Mohammad Nizamuddin?Mohammad Nizamuddin was a software engineer who graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology. He was working at a big tech firm and resided in a shared accommodation in Santa Clara.
He had moved to the US in 2016 to pursue higher studies. According to a family friend in Hyderabad, Nizamuddin was facing harassment at his workplace. He has also alleged that Nizamuddin was being targeted by one of his roommates.
Nizamuddin's family stays in Mahbubnagar, Telangana. They learned of his death only two weeks after the incident, on September 18, by a friend of Nizamuddin from Raichur, Karnataka, who also resides in Santa Clara. His father Husnuddin, who is a retired school teacher, said, "I tried calling my son several times, but his phone was switched off. Only later did we learn that he had been killed."
Social activist and Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) leader Ajmed Ullah Khan visited Nizamuddin's family in Mahbubnagar. He stated that Nizamuddin had been removed from his job about six months ago. Adding that he has written to India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, seeking his assistance to fly his body back to India.
Khan said, "From what we know, Nizamuddin got in a fight with another man, and the police were called to intervene. In the process, the police opened fire, and he was killed."
Nizamuddin's family has demanded an investigation into the incident, calling for strict action against the police officer who shot him dead.