A man who was stabbed by the angry, estranged husband of a woman he was reportedly involved with, has died of his wounds two weeks after the bloody incident, police said.
Richard Shane Fernandez’s death stemmed from a domestic dispute on March 7 involving 45-year-old Byron Rosas, who was shot dead by a San Jose police officer after failing to comply with orders to drop his weapon.
Officer Don Guess shot 45-year-old Rosas after he stabbed his estranged wife and Fernandez, who is believed to be her companion, according to police. Fernandez's death is the city's 10th homicide of 2016.
Guess, a 20-year police veteran, responded to a report of a stabbing at South 3rd and Martha streets at about 6:15 p.m. March 7, police said. Rosas encountered his estranged wife and her "male acquaintance," which sparked multiple stabbings, they said.
"I heard arguing – not sure what all it was – and then followed by four loud 'whys.’ ‘Why? Why? Why? Why?'" said a neighbor, who identified himself only as Marcos.
James Ballard, who lives next door to the victim, said Fernandez 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 Rosas 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 Rosas fought off neighbors and ignored Guess'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."
Guess fired roughly six shots, Ballard said, before Rosas went down.
Police said that Rosas was the focus of a domestic violence case at the same residence in December.
They also described March 7'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.
Rosas' estranged wife was hospitalized in critical condition. An investigation is ongoing, police said.
