Additional Details Released in Christmas Day Officer-Involved Shooting

PALO ALTO-Palo Alto police have released additional information based on their preliminary investigation into the Christmas Day officer-involved shooting.

According to a police release, the investigation into the December 25 police shooting has shed light onto a quick and violent confrontation that transpired in 19 seconds from start to finish, resulting in the death of a man who had summoned police to the scene by falsely reporting an emergency before sprinting at officers while screaming and waving a 9-inch metal knife.

During those 19 seconds, the release goes on, officers retreated repeatedly, gave the suspect numerous commands to drop the knife, called for emergency back-up, and tried to summon an additional less-lethal tool to the scene. When the suspect ignored commands to drop the knife and suddenly charged them, one officer fired their Taser and two officers fired their pistols to stop the assault. The entire encounter, including the shooting itself, was captured in its entirety from multiple angles on audio and video recording systems in several police cars.

Police say on Friday, December 25, 2015, at about 9:16 p.m., the suspect called 9-1-1 from 652 Forest Avenue, a transitional residential program that provides psychiatric care to residents. The suspect, who has since been identified by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office as 31-year-old William David Raff of Palo Alto, said there was a person at the residence who was “really violent” and wanted to harm someone, and provided a name of that alleged person. No one by that name was present. There was no mention of weapons in the 9-1-1 call.

Three officers arrived on scene and began walking towards the front lawn of the residence, according to police. The suspect emerged from the shadows in front of the home while brandishing a knife in his hand and jumping around erratically. Officers immediately called for emergency back-up while retreating from the property, and gave the suspect multiple commands to drop the knife as they backed up. As the officers further retreated to the street, one officer requested an emergency response from any unit equipped with a particular less-lethal weapon that fires a hard rubber munition.

Police say that as the officers continued retreating towards their cars, the suspect moved to the middle of the street and continued jumping around erratically while waving the knife. Officers continued to repeat their commands to drop the knife, but the suspect ignored them. The suspect then suddenly sprinted directly at the officers while screaming and waving the knife. As the suspect closed in on them, one officer fired a Taser and two officers fired their pistols as he charged. The suspect got close enough to them that one officer who fired his pistol had to move to avoid being struck by the falling suspect. Officers provided first aid to the suspect until paramedics arrived and took him to a local hospital, where he later died.

Authorities say from the time the suspect initially confronted the officers to the time he charged them and was shot, about 19 seconds elapsed.

The officers who fired their pistols at the suspect were Officer Nicholas Enberg and Officer Zachary Wicht.

At this time, police have not confirmed how many rounds were fired by each officer, how many rounds from which officer may have struck the suspect, or how many times the suspect was actually struck. The evidence team recovered nine bullet casings at the scene.

Officer Enberg has five years of law enforcement experience, the last 2½ years of which have been with Palo Alto PD. He is the officer who had to move to avoid the falling suspect. Officer Wicht has 1½ years of law enforcement experience, all with Palo Alto PD. Both officers are currently on paid administrative leave, as is standard in any officer-involved shooting investigation.

The officer who discharged their Taser at the suspect is not being identified, as Palo Alto PD only releases the names of officers who have discharged firearms at suspects (as opposed to using other types of force) as a matter of procedure. No officers were physically injured during the incident.

The police department says the incident was captured in its entirety from multiple angles by audio and video recording systems in multiple police cars. The audio and video evidence, along with all of the other evidence and investigative reports, will be turned over to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office at the conclusion of the investigation.

Police say three independent witnesses who were walking in the neighborhood at the time of the shooting and watched what happened have provided statements to investigators.

Authorities say the suspect was armed with a metal knife that was nine inches long. It had one lightly serrated edge and a tapered, slightly-rounded tip. Police recovered the knife at the scene.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Palo Alto Police 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413.

Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.orgor sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through our free mobile app, downloadable at bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.