Prosecutors in Santa Clara County have ruled that two San José police officers were legally justified when they shot and killed a knife-wielding father in Cataldi Park, after investigators concluded he had just fatally stabbed his 9-year-old son and then charged at officers.
The decision, issued yesterday, closes the criminal review of the July 13, 2025 shooting and spells out the evidence and legal logic behind the call.
According to local coverage of the district attorney’s review, the father was identified as 48-year-old Mateusz Dzierbun, who first dialed 911 and initially tried to pin the attack on another man before later admitting he had killed his child. As reported by KTVU, prosecutors said Dzierbun made statements suggesting he intended to provoke a lethal response from police.
What Happened at Cataldi Park
Officers were sent to Cataldi Park after a 3:23 PM 911 call on July 13, 2025, and arrived within minutes, according to the department. They found a man kneeling beside a bleeding child and holding a large, bloody knife…