San Jose woman pointing cordless drill killed by officer, police say

A woman in San Jose was fatally shot by a police officer who thought the cordless drill being pointed in her direction was a gun, officials said.

The 19-year-old woman had threatened to kill her family with an Uzi about 10:36 a.m. at her home in the 700 block of Blossom Hill Road, San Jose police Sgt. Heather Randol said in a statement.

She exited the home after officers arrived and ordered her to drop what they thought was a weapon, police said. When the woman, who was not immediately identified, pointed the drill in their direction, Officer Wakana Okuma, a 13-year police veteran, fired at the woman, according to police.

She was struck “at least once” and taken to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead,” Randol said.

The drill had a black matte finish.

Okuma was placed on “routine administrative leave” as police investigate the shooting.

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