A 30-year-old software engineer from Telangana, India, Mohammed Nizamuddin, was fatally shot by police in Santa Clara, California, on September 3, 2025, following a reported altercation with his roommate. The incident has sparked grief and a desperate plea from his family for answers and assistance in repatriating his body.

According to Santa Clara Police, officers responded to a residence on Eisenhower Drive around 6:18 AM following reports of a stabbing. Upon arrival, they encountered Nizamuddin allegedly armed with a knife. Police claim that Nizamuddin was threatening to attack again when they entered the home. He was shot by the officers and taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The roommate was also hospitalized with injuries. Police Chief Cory Morgan stated that the fight between the roommates escalated into violence before the officers arrived. The police have justified the shooting, stating that Nizamuddin ignored commands and that their actions saved at least one life. The SCPD chief also presented body camera evidence of the officer's intervention.

Nizamuddin's family disputes the police account and is seeking clarity on the circumstances leading to his death. His father, Mohammed Hasnuddin, stated that the clash with the roommate was over a "petty matter". He was informed of the shooting on September 18th and is seeking answers as to why the police shot his son. A relative of the deceased told ANI that a neighbor called the police after a quarrel with his roommate over an AC escalated into violence involving knives. The relative added that the police fired four rounds when they entered the room because Nizamuddin did not comply with their orders to show his hands and that no proper inquiry took place before the shooting. Some reports indicate the family alleges potential racial bias in the incident.

The family has appealed to the Indian government for assistance in bringing Nizamuddin's body back to his hometown of Mahabubnagar. Hasnuddin has written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, requesting urgent intervention from Indian officials in Washington and San Francisco. Amjed Ullah Khan, a spokesperson for the Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT), has also shared the family's appeal and urged the government to intervene. The family has also requested assistance from the Telangana government. Nizamuddin had gone to the US in 2016 for higher education at Florida College. After completing his MS, he joined a company as a software professional and later moved to California after being promoted.