San Jose police bodycam shows the fatal shooting of a heavily-armed man having mental health crisis

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San Jose, CA - Police in San Jose responding to a 911 call Sunday about a family disturbance were confronted by a man armed with multiple weapons who was later killed in a shootout with officers.

San Jose officers responded to a call at about 2:30 p.m. from a couple about their adult son having a mental health crisis, saying he was off his medication and becoming physically aggressive with them. As soon as officers made contact with the man, identified as 37-year-old Karim Kahn, he pointed a rifle in their direction, Joseph said. The 911 caller never reported that Kahn had any weapons, Joseph added.

"The presence of firearms continues to present the greatest challenge in response to calls where mental health is a factor," said Joseph. "Like in this case, the presence of firearms is often not disclosed by 911 callers, but emerges without warning and turns what could be just a conversation into a potentially deadly confrontation."

Joseph said that after pointing the gun at officers, Kahn retreated to the ADU where he lived on his parents' property on Recife Way in the Guadalupe Oak Grove neighborhood, just south of Coleman Road and west of Almaden Lake in South San Jose. Officers retreated, and a crisis negotiation team contacted Kahn by phone, speaking with him for about 20 minutes before he hung up. Joseph said he then emerged from a side yard and fired at least one round at officers who were taking cover behind a patrol car. A patrol vehicle was struck by gunfire, but no officers were hit, Joseph said.

The gunman then jumped a fence into another backyard where other police officers had been staked out, and officers saw that the man was now armed with a shotgun and a rifle, Joseph said.

"An exchange of gunfire then occurred between the man and one officer who was positioned with additional officers in that yard," Joseph said. "The man ended up on the ground in an elevated position from the officers above a raised planted area, making it difficult to see if he was still holding either of the guns. His partially concealed location created a challenge for accessing the man to check on his condition and approach him safely. When officers were able to approach him, they observed at least one gunshot wound and pronounced him dead at the scene."

The officer who fired the fatal shot is a veteran with more than eight years of experience. Joseph said it was evident that Kahn was ready for an extended gunfight with officers based on the weapons he was holding.

"The man was in possession of four firearms and at least 50 rounds of ammunition when they contacted him. In addition to the rifle and shotgun, he had on his person a loaded revolver and a loaded semi-automatic handgun. Notably, he also had hearing protection in his ears, possibly indicating he was anticipating a gunfight with police."

Officers who searched Kahn's home discovered an additional firearm, ammunition, loaded magazines, and firearm parts, Joseph said. The firearms were not registered to him, and investigators would try to find out how he obtained them.