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Vinh Pham says his family just needed some help. His mentally ill son, Daniel, started stabbing his brother Sunday morning and when he wouldn't stop, the brother's girlfriend locked herself in a room and called police.
"Daniel is a mental guy. And he held a small knife and cut his brother around here [in the throat]," said Pham.
Police say they walked into a violent situation, that the brother, Brian, had been stabbed several times. When they tried to help Brian, they say Daniel got aggressive.
"He tried to confront the officers with a knife. He attacked them, the officers used the Taser to subdue the individual, the Taser had no effect," said /*San Jose police*/ spokesman Sgt. Ronnie Lopez.
"I want police to come to help. I don't want police come to shoot my son," said Pham.
According to the family, Brian told police Daniel was mentally ill and told them not to shoot him. Relatives also say the knife was a small, dull steak knife. Police disagree.
"He was actually armed with an 11-inch knife. The blade was seven inches long the handle was four inches," said Sgt. Lopez.
ABC7's Amy Hollyfield talked to Brian on the phone and he said he had to get some stitches, but he is fine.
The two officers who fired at Daniel, Matthew Blackerby and Brian Jeffrey are on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure. At this point in the investigation, police say it appears the shooting was justified.
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