San Jose

Woman Fatally Shot by SJPD Was Holding Cordless Drill: Police

A woman who allegedly threatened to kill her family was fatally shot by a police officer in San Jose Thursday morning, a police spokesman said.

Officers responded at 10:36 a.m. to the 700 block of Blossom Hill Road on a report of a woman with an Uzi-style firearm who was threatening to kill family members inside a home, San Jose police spokesman Officer Albert Morales said. Her father told media outlets that she was bipolar.

A man named Michael gave NBC Bay Area some cell phone video of the woman leading up to her death. She is pictured aiming the drill in front of her, while at other times she lifts up her other hand as if surrendering.

Michael gave NBC Bay Area some cell phone video showing a woman carrying a cordless drill in San Jose on Thursday, before being fatally shot by San Jose Police.

Police tried to negotiate with the woman when she exited the home and was commanded by officers to drop the weapon. Police said the woman did not comply and was shot at least once by Officer Wakana Okuma when she pointed the weapon toward officers.

The weapons was later determined by police to be a cordless drill that was painted black.

"In fear for her safety and the safety of the public, Officer Wakana Okuma fired at the subject, striking her at least once," police said in a press release.

Okuma has 13 years serving as a police officer.

The woman was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and pronounced dead at around 12:39 p.m., according to Morales.

The delay in reporting the death was due to the confirmation of her identity and notification to next of kin, police said. Her identity is not being released at this time, but police said she is 19 years old.

Morales said he didn't know what family members might have been in the house with the woman prior to the shooting, but no family members or officers were injured.

Morales called the report of someone armed with a possible Uzi weapon threatening family members "a very, very serious situation for our officers."

The department's homicide unit is investigating the shooting.

Richard Garcia, 34, didn't see the shooting but heard it and saw the woman being loaded onto a gurney by first responders afterward.

"I heard the shot, it went 'Boom,'" Garcia said.

He said police officers were very aggressive in seeking potential witnesses who might have filmed or photographed the incident.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

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