Richmond police fatally shoot man who they say broke into home, tried to stab family members

RICHMOND, Calif. -- Richmond police fatally shot a man who broke into a home and was attacking family members with a knife early Thursday morning, police said.

Officers responded to a call at 2:34 a.m. to the home on Wilson Ave., according to police.

The caller said their father had broken a window to get into the house, where three members of the family lived, and was attacking them with a knife.

When officers arrived they found the suspect, a 55-year-old man whose name has not been released, attacking a boy at a patio in the back of the house, according to police.

"They interrupted a physical assault on a family member," Richmond police Lt. Matt Stonebraker said. "The suspect ignored their commands and the juvenile was able to break free from the suspect and the suspect was able to get up and advance on the officers."

At least one of the officers then shot the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

"A member of the public was in jeopardy of great bodily injury," Stonebraker said.

A woman at the home suffered a cut to her stomach and the boy suffered a cut to his face. They were taken to a hospital, where they were treated and released, police said.

No officers were injured.

The suspect did not live at the home and there was an active domestic violence restraining order against him, according to police.

While the exact history of his behavior toward his family was not released, the suspect had several contacts with Richmond officers involving accusations of domestic violence, Stonebraker said.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office and Richmond police are investigating the shooting, which is the second officer-involved shooting in the city this year.

The four officers involved will be interviewed and placed on a short administrative leave, Stonebraker said.