A man shot dead by a San Jose police officer Monday night is accused of stabbing his estranged wife and a man believed to be her companion.
Police said on Twitter Monday that officers responded to a report of a stabbing at South 3rd and Martha at about 6:15 p.m.
Police added Tuesday that the suspect encountered his estranged wife and her "male acquaintance," which sparked a domestic violence incident and multiple stabbings.
A neighbor, who identified himself only as Marcos, heard the commotion early on.
"I heard arguing – not sure what all it was – and then followed by four loud 'whys.’ ‘Why? Why? Why? Why?'" he recalled.
James Ballard, who lives next door to the victim, said a man staggered out of the house bleeding.
"I went up directly to him and told him he had to grab ... his neck because so much blood was coming out," he said.
Ballard said the wounded man was followed by the knife-wielding suspect when a woman ran out of the house and jumped on his back.
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"He started stabbing her, he stabbed her over his shoulder … in the neck," he said, adding that the man fought off neighbors and ignored a police officer’s commands to "stop."
Ballard continued: "[The police officer] had his gun drawn and he was going to shoot, but there was a kid on the opposite side of the guy, so the cop was good, he kind of waited."
The officer fired roughly six shot, Ballard said, before the man went down.
Police are not confirming witnesses’ accounts or providing details about the shooting. They did say, though, that the man who was shot was the focus of a domestic violence case at the same residence in December.
They also described Monday’s shooting as a hectic scene.
"With everyone that was within that area, plus the fact the suspect could have started going back into the residence, that is why the officer did what he did," San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia said.
As of Tuesday evening, police have yet to identify the people involved. The man’s estranged wife remains in hospital in critical condition while the other man was treated and released.
An investigation is ongoing, police said.
