SAN JOSE — A person accused of stabbing a police officer is more likely to face tried homicide costs following a Tuesday morning sequence during which he allegedly threatened a safety guard with a machete inside a Goal retailer simply outdoors downtown, authorities mentioned.
Eli Scott, 41, of San Jose, was arrested Could 6, 2025 on suspicion of stabbing a police officer minutes after he allegedly threatened a Goal safety guard with a machete, authorities say. (San Jose Police Dept.)
Eli Scott, 41, of San Jose, was being held with out bail on the Santa Clara County Most important Jail, the place data present he was booked on suspicion of two counts of tried homicide of a police officer, assault with a lethal weapon, and brandishing a weapon.
Scott was contained in the Goal on Coleman Avenue round 9:45 a.m. Tuesday and seemed to be intoxicated when he pointed a machete at an armed safety guard, based on San Jose police. The guard approached, together with his hand apparently prepared to attract his firearm, which prompted Scott to run off, ditching the machete in his escape.
Police had been known as, and one of many responding officers noticed Scott, who brandished a special knife on the officer earlier than operating throughout Autumn Parkway towards a area, the place two extra officers arrived and chased him. In some unspecified time in the future, police mentioned, Scott slipped and fell, and the 2 officers sought to detain him.
Police mentioned Scott resisted the officers, and stabbed one among them within the higher arm, then tried to stab the second officer.
The injured officer, who police mentioned has been with SJPD for 2 and a half years, was taken to a hospital and underwent surgical procedure to restore his wounds. Scott was additionally taken to a hospital the place he was handled for minor accidents earlier than being booked into jail.
“Every day, our officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect others. This violent attack is a stark reminder of that reality,” Police Chief Paul Joseph mentioned in a press release. “We’re grateful our injured officer is expected to recover, and thankful he was able to intervene before anyone else was harmed.”
Within the aftermath of the stabbing, the San Jose Police Officers’ Affiliation famous that Scott is at present on felony probation and is the topic of an arrest warrant, and police acknowledged that he has an “extensive” prison historical past. Court docket data present his most up-to-date felony conviction is from 2024, and that he was on the psychological well being therapy calendar with the Superior Court docket.
Mayor Matt Mahan mentioned the stabbing reinforces the pressing want for extra psychological well being and drug therapy capability from the state and county.
“It is horrifying to imagine walking into a Target and running into a man with a machete,” Mahan mentioned in a press release. “Because of the dangerous actions of someone who clearly needed to be behind bars or in secure treatment, a San Jose police officer is in the hospital instead of on patrol.”
