Man Who Stabbed His Little Son To Death Fatally Shot By San Jose Officers

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The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has determined that two San Jose police officers lawfully shot and killed a man in a park who was charging at them with a knife.

Mateusz Dzierbun, 48, of Fremont, had just stabbed his 9-year-old son to death last summer when he attacked the responding officers.

Just before he raised his knife and ran at the officers, Dzierbun told them: “Whoever killed someone before needs to be here,” and, “If you get the stun bag, I’m going to get up and charge this guy.”

The officers – who had warned him numerous times to drop the knife so they could attend to his clearly badly injured child – shot Dzierbun 14 times.

The report says: “The officers were confronted with an extraordinarily dangerous and rapidly evolving situation. The evidence before them indicated only two possibilities: either Dzierbun had already murdered his son, demonstrating his homicidal intent, or the child had been stabbed by Dzierbun and required immediate lifesaving aid.”

The District Attorney’s Office investigates all fatal law enforcement encounters to determine if the lethal force was legal. By law, officers can use deadly force when they or others face imminent danger.

The fatal stabbing and subsequent police shooting happened in sunny Cataldi Park, near where a group of people were taking pickleball lessons.

On July 13, 2025, at approximately 3:23 p.m., Dzierbun called 911 to report that his son had been stabbed and “is dead.” At first, he said another man had killed him, and later admitted that he had killed his child, telling dispatch that, “They were going to torture him… I had to do it.”

Officers Eduardo Eyer and Kevin McAlindon were the first officers to arrive at the park, at approximately 3:31 p.m. Dzierbun was approximately 50 feet away, seated on the grass near the body of his child.

An officer said, “Sir, will you please drop the knife?” Dzierbun responded, “Listen to me very carefully. I am armed, and one of you guys is going to kill me today. I don’t want to traumatize you.” The officer repeated for a third time, “Sir, I need you to drop the knife,” to which Dzierbun responded, “I don’t want to traumatize anyone here…so listen to me carefully. Whoever killed someone before needs to be here.”

Eventually, Officer McAlindon went to get a stun gun. Approximately two minutes after the officers arrived on scene, joined shortly after by Sergeant Joel Casey, Dzierbun stood up, brandished the knife by raising it above his head, and charged at them, body worn camera footage shows.

Sgt. Casey and Officer Eyer fired.

Officer Eyer later told investigators, “I need to save myself and my partners here… I wanted to save that kid.” When officers managed to get to the child, they quickly realized he was deceased.