A 30-year-old Indian software engineer was killed in California by police gunfire after he allegedly stabbed his roommate earlier this month, officials reported, while his family expressed suspicion of racial discrimination and called for an investigation into the details of his death.
Mohammed Nizamuddin, who was native to Mahabubnagar in Telangana, was shot on September 3 after being discovered in his Santa Clara home with a knife, according to police. The authorities said he was also holding back his roommate, who had multiple wounds.
The police indicated that they were called to a 911 report of a stabbing in the home. What had started as a fight between Nizamuddin and his roommate allegedly turned into the attack.
"SCPD officers arrived, encountered the suspect, and were involved in an Officer Involved Shooting. The suspect was transported to a local hospital where they were later pronounced deceased. The victim was transported to a local hospital and is being treated for their injuries," the statement said.
"The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office and the Santa Clara Police Department are conducting a joint investigation. This remains an active and open investigation. As the investigation progresses, we expect to provide an update tomorrow afternoon," it added.
The family of Nizamuddin, however, said he had called the police for assistance before he was shot.
He had a Master's in Computer Science from a Florida college and worked at a technology company in Santa Clara, California. He was described by his family as being religious and quiet and having complained publicly about racial harassment, wage theft, and unlawful termination at his job.
They pointed to a LinkedIn post by Nizamuddin where he had posted: "I have been a victim of racial hatred, racial discrimination, racial harassment, torture, wage-fraud, wrongful termination and obstruction of Justice."
He further said, "Enough is enough, white supremacy/racist white American mentality has to end." He also accused acts of racial discrimination, food poisoning, eviction, and repeated surveillance and intimidation by an alleged detective.
The family has demanded an investigation into the allegations as well as the circumstances of his death. They have asked the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to help repatriate his body, which is lying at a Santa Clara hospital pending formalities.
Amjed Ullah Khan, spokesman of Majlis Bachao Tehreek, who spoke with Nizamuddin's father Mohammed Hasnuddin, claimed that he had written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, requesting that he direct the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Consulate General in San Francisco to give a full report and help with repatriation and follow-up formalities. The MEA hadn't made any statement at the time of publication.
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