Police Kills Man That Held San Jose Family Hostage With Machete

A recently evicted man demanding his keys broke into an apartment at the San Jose complex last week and held a mother and her two sons hostage with a machete before being shot and killed by police, authorities said Monday.

The “volatile and high-risk situation,” which unfolded over the course of about 50 minutes Wednesday night on the 900 block of Boynton Avenue in West San Jose, appeared to be a case of mistaken identity, San Jose police Chief Anthony Mata said. 

The suspect, Eliobert Gonzalez-Rocha, and the family did not know each other, Mata said. Authorities believe Gonzalez-Rocha may have been seeking out apartment management.

“This traumatic and terrifying incident will remain with this family for the rest of their lives,” Mata said. “It is also an incident that will affect the rest of the officers that were present that night, especially the officer who saved their lives by taking another.”

Armed with two machetes, a replica gun and a metal pole, Gonzalez-Rocha broke into the family’s apartment through a sliding glass door, Mata said. He then repeatedly threatened to kill the mother and her two sons, ages 7 and 18, if they didn’t hand over his keys.

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