For release on January 18, 2018 CONTACT:
David Boyd, Deputy District Attorney
(408) 792-2968 DA REPORT: SJPD SNIPER LAWFULLY SHOT, KILLED BARRICADED MURDER SUSPECT POINTING GUN AT POLICE A San Jose police sniper last year lawfully shot and killed a barricaded man who had just murdered the parents of a woman he had dated and was aiming his handgun at police, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has determined. As Mirza Tatlic pointed his gun from an upstairs window of the couple’s home, the veteran officer fired a single shot, instantly killing the 24-year-old Campbell man. Tatlic had spent more than an hour inside the home ignoring police requests for him to surrender, holding the couple’s young son hostage, and taunting their daughters over a cell phone that he had just killed their parents. Prosecutor David Boyd’s 69-page public report concludes: “When a person, who has already murdered two defenseless people in their own home, thereafter points a loaded handgun at responding police, the police do not have to wait for that person to fire another shot before using lethal force. The person with the gun aimed toward police is an imminent threat to kill or disable them.” 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 are faced with imminent danger. Just before 9:00 p.m., on May 3, 2017, Tatlic drove to 1000 Laura Ville Lane where he proceeded to shoot and kill 54-year-old Naren Prabhu just inside the front door of his home. Tatlic then entered the house and, a few moments later, shot and killed 53-year-old Raynah Prabhu. The Prabhus' eldest son fled the home and called 911. Thereafter, Tatlic called the Prabhus' daughter from the cell phone of her 13-year-old brother, who was being held as a human shield in the upstairs of the home. Tatlic told her that he had murdered her parents. She called 911. Responding officers were able to convince Tatlic to release the teen. Before the fatal shot, police had attempted to get Mirza to surrender peacefully. Tatlic ignored them and began pointing his loaded gun in the direction of officers staging an entry of the home. At that point, two snipers decided simultaneously to fire their weapons. Officer Jacob Morris fired first, negating the need for the second sniper to shoot. Just months before, Tatlic had been charged in Massachusetts of felony assault against the Prabhus' daughter. There was a court hearing on his outstanding arrest warrant for violating a restraining order set for May 10, a week after his rampage. # # #
David Boyd, Deputy District Attorney
(408) 792-2968 DA REPORT: SJPD SNIPER LAWFULLY SHOT, KILLED BARRICADED MURDER SUSPECT POINTING GUN AT POLICE A San Jose police sniper last year lawfully shot and killed a barricaded man who had just murdered the parents of a woman he had dated and was aiming his handgun at police, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has determined. As Mirza Tatlic pointed his gun from an upstairs window of the couple’s home, the veteran officer fired a single shot, instantly killing the 24-year-old Campbell man. Tatlic had spent more than an hour inside the home ignoring police requests for him to surrender, holding the couple’s young son hostage, and taunting their daughters over a cell phone that he had just killed their parents. Prosecutor David Boyd’s 69-page public report concludes: “When a person, who has already murdered two defenseless people in their own home, thereafter points a loaded handgun at responding police, the police do not have to wait for that person to fire another shot before using lethal force. The person with the gun aimed toward police is an imminent threat to kill or disable them.” 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 are faced with imminent danger. Just before 9:00 p.m., on May 3, 2017, Tatlic drove to 1000 Laura Ville Lane where he proceeded to shoot and kill 54-year-old Naren Prabhu just inside the front door of his home. Tatlic then entered the house and, a few moments later, shot and killed 53-year-old Raynah Prabhu. The Prabhus' eldest son fled the home and called 911. Thereafter, Tatlic called the Prabhus' daughter from the cell phone of her 13-year-old brother, who was being held as a human shield in the upstairs of the home. Tatlic told her that he had murdered her parents. She called 911. Responding officers were able to convince Tatlic to release the teen. Before the fatal shot, police had attempted to get Mirza to surrender peacefully. Tatlic ignored them and began pointing his loaded gun in the direction of officers staging an entry of the home. At that point, two snipers decided simultaneously to fire their weapons. Officer Jacob Morris fired first, negating the need for the second sniper to shoot. Just months before, Tatlic had been charged in Massachusetts of felony assault against the Prabhus' daughter. There was a court hearing on his outstanding arrest warrant for violating a restraining order set for May 10, a week after his rampage. # # #