San Jose police sniper’s actions justified for shooting man who killed Indian American couple in May

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Prosecutors say that a San Jose police sniper’s actions were justified when he shot a mentally ill man who killed an Indian American couple at their Willow Glen home in San Jose, California last May, according to Mercury News.

“When a person, who has already murdered two defenseless people in their own home, thereafter points a loaded handgun at responding police, the police do not have to wait for that person to fire another shot before using lethal force. The person with the gun aimed toward police is an imminent threat to kill or disable them,” Deputy District Attorney David Boyd wrote in the 69-page report released by the Santa Clara District Attorney’s office last week.

“Everyone knew that the gun was real and that it worked because of the constant reminder of Mr. Prabhu’s lifeless body in the doorway. When Tatlic extended his arm with the gun in hand toward the window with numerous officers down below, he presented an immediate threat of death or great bodily injury that had to be immediately neutralized,” he added.

According to multiple media reports, Mirza Tatlic, 24, killed Naren Prabhu, the vice president of engineering at Juniper Networks in Sunnyvale, California, and his wife Raynah, the parents of his ex-girlfriend Rachel Prabhu, on May 3, 2017 at 9 p.m.

Tatlic managed to shoot Naren as he opened the door for him, then stepped inside and shot Raynah and kept their 13-year-old son hostage.

According to Mercury News, the couple’s 20-year-old son had witnessed the shootings and ran outside to a neighbor’s home from where he called 911 and told dispatchers that his 13-year-old brother was still in the home with Tatlic, police said.

Multiple media reports further stated that Tatlic was obsessed with Rachel and repeatedly tried to meet and contact her, despite restraining orders and other security measures.

“The suspect had been in a relationship with the victims’ daughter who was not home. The relationship had ended last year. The suspect had a history of domestic violence and there was an active criminal restraining order” San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia told PTI back in May.

Rachel had met Tatlic through mutual friends in July of 2016 and the two began meeting regularly for lunch and drinks, Tatlic was even aware that she had boyfriend from whom she was taking a break from.

Rachel told police that within weeks of meeting her, Tatlic became controlling and obsessive, and began speaking of wedding plans and children quite often enough and on Sept. 3, 2016, came to her house with flowers, to “surprise” her.

Since Rachel’s parents had already told her they didn’t like the guy, she attempted to hide him in her bedroom, leaving him alone for a few minutes and saw him drinking a bottle of tequila upon returning.

In the meantime, Rachel received an instant message from her boyfriend which made Tatlic angry, and he began to punch her and rip off her shirt until her parents intervened when she yelled out for them, Rachel told police.

After the incident, the Prabhus ended up installing a surveillance system in their home.

They later learned that Tatlic’s mother and sister had previously placed restraining orders against him due to his violent behavior.

But it was reported that on Nov. 30, 2016, Tatlic forced himself on Rachel as she tried to push him off of her.

According to the report, Tatlic put his hands around Rachel’s neck and squeezed hard until she lost consciousness and stayed with her until she regained consciousness.

Two days later, Tatlic assaulted Rachel again, this time punching, kicking, and head-butting her, he was then arrested by Boston police and Rachel was granted a restraining order on Dec. 5, 2016.

After that, Tatlic tried to contact Rachel through her brother Neil but on May 3, 2017, Tatlic ended up shooting and killing Rachel’s parents when she was not home and used her brother’s cell phone to call her saying “I killed your parents.”

“When officers arrived at the home on Laura Valle Lane they saw an adult man deceased in the front doorway suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Officers learnt from the son that his mother and 13-year-old brother along with the suspect were still inside the house,” police told PTI in May.

According to Garcia “the suspect released the 13-year-old boy” but since he refused to surrender, Officer Jacob Morris had no choice but to fire his gun, killing Tatlic.