Santa Clara Police Fatally Shoot Son, Fighting With Dad

It's the second fatal officer involved shooting in Santa Clara this year.

Santa Clara police fatally shot a 41-year-old man, armed with a knife, who was struggling with his father late Wednesday night and allegedly didn't obey orders to drop his weapon.

It's the second fatal officer involved shooting in Santa Clara this year.

Lt. Matt Hogan said Thursday said that police went to a home in the 1300 block of Reeve Street shortly after 11 p.m. Wednesday because a family had called 911 to say a son and his 66-year-old father were fighting in their apartment.

The officers settled the dispute, Hogan said, and started to leave.

But as the three officers turned away, they heard loud yelling, and immediately headed back to the apartment. They saw the through the open front door that the father and son were scuffling with each other, Hogan said, and the son was armed with a knife.

Hogan said the son refused to follow repeated officer commands to drop the knife.

It was at this point, Hogan said the son, who was very close to his father, raised the knife in a threatening manner and moved toward his dad.

Hogan said  three officers were "forced" to fire their weapons to save the father's life. The son was   pronounced dead at the scene.  His identity was not immediately released. The officers involved had 10-, 12- and 16-years on the force, but Hogan said authorities are not yet revealing which officer fired the lethal shot.

A Santa Clara police officer fatally shot a 42-year-old man in the 2400 block of Karen Drive on Jan. 14. The driver, suspected of DUI, "became uncooperative" and appeared to reach for a revolver. The officer, Hogan said, was forced to fire his own weapon in self defense.

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