Police in Concord early Tuesday morning shot and killed a man who was stabbing a family member during a domestic dispute, according to the police department.
At about 1:40 a.m., several patrol officers responded to the 1900 block of Natoma Drive, near Willow Pass Road, after a 911 call reporting a man attacking a family member with a knife, police said.
Upon arriving, officers shot the knife-wielding man, who they say was "actively stabbing" the family member. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
The victim who was stabbed was taken to a hospital and expected to survive, police said.
Roadways and access to the scene were closed off for hours as authorities from multiple agencies investigated the shooting.
Juanita Atayde, who lives nearby, told NBC Bay Area Tuesday that she heard gunfire around 1:30 a.m.
“Just praying for them. This is very hard for anyone to go through,” she said. “I can’t imagine losing your son and your husband stabbed. This is just horrible.”
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Residents said they are stunned and heartbroken. They said that the couple who live at the house raised two good boys and describe them as a great family.
One Concord resident told NBC Bay Area Tuesday that he believed one of the adult sons may have suffered from mental illness
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“The son basically had a mental health breakdown,” the resident said. “And apparently from what I learned, he was supposed to have an appointment this morning because they didn’t have enough beds last night.”
Gigi Crowder, CEO of Contra Costa County's National Alliance of Mental Illness or NAMI, said if what residents said is true, the situation should never have reached this point. She added that getting mental health help is often too difficult.
“It looks like that family knew the warning signs and went to get the care and was turned away. That's what breaks my heart,” she said.
