Sunnyvale police release video of fatal officer shooting of knife-wielding suspect
Sunnyvale police released a new video on Friday of the fatal officer shooting last week of a man carrying a knife.
The shooting happened March 24 after Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers responded to a report of a partially-naked man walking around brandishing a knife at a mobile home park on Vienna Drive.
The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Emmanuel Perez Becerra, called 911 on himself and dispatchers came to the realization it was Becerra on the line; they tried to de-escalate the situation as officers were responding, DPS said.
Newly-released dashboard camera video showed an officer in a patrol car and another officer on foot following Becerra and giving multiple commands to drop the knife. The officer on foot started backing away, as Becerra walked toward him wielding the knife the officer is heard saying, "I'm gonna shoot you ... if you don't stop stop right there." He fired twice as Becerra continued advancing.
Becerra, who did not have a criminal record, was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The two officers involved were placed on routine leave. The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office was investigating the shooting.
