Indian man shot dead by US police claimed 'racial hatred and discrimination'

Newyork/Hyderabad, Sep 19 (PTI) A 30-year-old man from Telangana, who died after being shot by the police in the US when they found him stabbing a roommate during an altercation, had claimed that he was a victim of "racial hatred and discrimination".

Mohammed Nizamuddin from Mahabubnagar district was shot by officers of the Santa Clara Police Department when they arrived at the scene of the altercation on September 3.

Before the incident, Nizamuddin wrote on social media that he was a "victim of racial hatred, racial discrimination, racial harassment, torture, wage fraud, wrongful termination and obstruction of Justice".

"Today I decided to raise my voice against all odds... Oppression of corporate tyrants must end, and everyone involved in it must be punished severely," he wrote.

Nizamuddin also posted in the message that he faced a lot of hostility, an unacceptable environment, racial discrimination, racial harassment and salary fraud where he worked.

"They altogether wrongfully terminated my employment. It did not end there. They continued their harassment, discrimination and intimidating behaviour by the help of a racist detective and team," he had alleged.

Lately, the situation deteriorated. He claimed that his food was poisoned, and he was being evicted from his residence for fighting against "unjust".

Citing information received from a friend of his son, Nizamuddin's father, Mohammed Hasnuddin, told PTI in Hyderabad on Thursday that it is unclear what exactly happened.

Hasnuddin said his son was working as a software professional in the US after completing his MS there.

Giving details of the incident, the Santa Clara Police Department said that on September 3, at approximately 6:18 am, its officers responded to a residence in Santa Clara regarding a report of a stabbing. The caller stated that the suspect had stabbed one victim in the residence.

When officers arrived, they encountered Nizamuddin, who was shot by an officer, police said.

Nizamuddin was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The victim was shifted to a local hospital.

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office and the Santa Clara Police Department are conducting a joint investigation. This remains an active and open investigation. The police have not yet identified the suspect in the case.

The Indian Consulate General in San Francisco said in a post on X that it is saddened by the death of Nizamuddin, an Indian national, in an incident involving Santa Clara Police.

“We are in contact with the local authorities & the family, and we will extend all possible consular assistance. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family in this difficult time,” the Consulate said.

During a press conference last week, Santa Clara Police Chief Cory Morgan provided further details of how the incident unfolded.

He said that Santa Clara Police Department officers responded to the “disturbance call”, which resulted in one of its officers shooting an assailant who was “actively attacking” another person with a knife.

"Based on our preliminary investigation, we believe the officer's actions prevented further harm and clearly saved at least one life and possibly others. On Wednesday, at approximately 6:18 am, officers responded to a 911 call about a disturbance between two roommates," he said.

As officers were responding to the location, they received information that the situation had "escalated" and the suspect was now "stabbing the victim," Morgan said.

He said that as the first arriving officer reached the scene, he could hear a “loud commotion inside”, and decisively made a crisis entry into the residence by kicking open the locked front door.

The officer quickly followed the sounds toward the hallway where the attack was taking place. The officer saw four people in the hallway, including the suspect, who was straddling the victim, effectively pinning the victim to the ground.

Morgan displayed an image of the altercation taken from the officer's body-worn camera that showed the suspect positioned on top of the victim.

The officer attempted to “de-escalate” the situation with verbal commands. The suspect ignored the commands and raised their arm holding the knife to a striking position above the victim.

Morgan said the SCPD officer saw the suspect's hand holding the knife come down towards the victim, and the officer shot four times, striking the suspect with all four of the shots.

The police also displayed another still image from the body camera after the shooting that showed the knife visible in the hallway.

The suspect was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at 7:22 am, while the victim was transported to another local hospital and was treated for multiple stab wounds to the hands, chest, lung and abdomen before being released.

Morgan said the victim expressed gratitude for the quick and decisive actions by law enforcement as they were in fear for their life. Based on witness statements, the suspect used two knives during the assault. The first knife broke away at the handle. The suspect then retrieved a second knife to continue the assault.

The officer involved, Robert Allsup, has been an officer approximately 12 years as a police officer.

Morgan said Allsup is trained in crisis intervention, and the officer’s body-worn camera was activated throughout the entire incident, including at the time of the shooting.

“Let me be clear: any loss of life is tragic, and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident. At the same time, I want to commend the officer for their bravery in confronting an immediate threat under extremely difficult circumstances. The officer's split-second decision in a life-threatening situation ensured that nobody else was injured or killed.” Nizamuddin's father has appealed to the Centre to urge the Embassy of India in Washington and the Consulate General of India in San Francisco to help him bring his son's mortal remains to Mahabubnagar.

Meanwhile, Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT) spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to help the family in the matter. PTI VVK/YAS SJR ZH ZH