Indian student shot dead by US police: What cops claim, what kin allege - 10 things to know about the incident

NEW DELHI: The death of Indian techie Mohammed Nizamuddin in Santa Clara , California , has drawn strong reactions, with police describing him as an armed aggressor, his family alleging a hasty and excessive response, and neighbours recalling a domestic quarrel that turned deadly.

Santa Clara police said they were called to a residence on September 3 after reports of a stabbing, where they found Nizamuddin allegedly armed with a knife after attacking his roommate. Officers claimed he ignored commands and appeared poised to strike again, prompting them to open fire, fatally wounding him, while his injured roommate was hospitalized and two knives were recovered from the scene.

This morning, Chief Morgan held a news conference to discuss the September 3, 2025 officer involved incident. We’re sharing Chief Morgan’s news conference with the community. The investigation is ongoing and no further details are available at this time. pic.twitter.com/8IvbOQOVk6

— Santa Clara Police (@SantaClaraPD) September 5, 2025

The family of Nizamuddin alleged that the shooting "happened so quickly." His father, Mohammad Hasanuddin, said they were only informed weeks after the September 3 incident.

"The account says the roommates had a quarrel -- something about the AC or something in the room -- and in the ensuing scuffle knives were involved. A neighbour phoned the police. When the police entered the room, they asked the occupants to show their hands. One boy complied; the other did not. The police then fired four rounds and the child was shot. It is extremely regrettable that, according to the reports, no proper inquiry took place and the shooting happened so quickly," ANI quoted a relative said.

The family of the Telangana man has appealed to the external affairs minister S Jaishankar to intervene in the matter and help bring back Mohammad Nizamuddin's body.

Here are ten things to know about the incident:

A 32-year-old man from Telangana’s Mahabubnagar district, Mohammad Nizamuddin, who had moved to the United States in 2016 to pursue higher education, was allegedly shot dead by police in Santa Clara, California on September 3.

Nizamuddin had first studied at Florida College before joining a private company, where his performance earned him a promotion that eventually took him to California, according to his family’s account.

His father, Mohammad Hasanuddin, a retired teacher, expressed shock and grief, saying he was informed only recently about his son’s killing, which reportedly occurred weeks earlier in the United States.

The family claimed they were left in the dark for nearly two weeks, learning about Nizamuddin’s death only on September 18, when a friend from Raichur, Karnataka, informed them of the tragic news.

According to reports, the incident began with a quarrel among roommates over an air-conditioning issue, which escalated into a violent scuffle involving knives before neighbors called police for help.

The Santa Clara Police department said its officers responded to a 911 call reporting a stabbing, encountered Nizamuddin holding a knife, and opened fire, which led to him being shot.

Police chief Cory Morgan defended the officer’s actions, saying that the shooting likely prevented further harm and may have saved the life of another roommate who had already been stabbed.

Nizamuddin’s relatives, however, have raised questions about the speed of the police response, alleging that no proper inquiry was conducted before shots were fired, leaving the family with unanswered concerns.

His body remains in a hospital in California awaiting formalities, while his grieving family in Mahabubnagar has appealed to both the Indian government and the Telangana state government to repatriate his remains.

Nizamuddin’s father and community representatives, including Majlis Bachao Tehreek leader Amjed Ullah Khan, have urged external affairs minister S Jaishankar to intervene urgently and help bring his body back to India so the family can perform last rites in their hometown.