Rapper Stabs Police K9, Shot Dead by Officers

[BIGDANIEL]

Its always a sad story when someone looses a life. The guy sounds like he was normally a good guy.

 

 

 

SANTA CLARA, CA – Aziz Howard Raqmond James, a 24-year-old Santa Cruz rapper who grew up in Watsonville and Aptos, was considered a rising star in the Bay Area hip-hop community.

 

But James – known to audiences as Almighty Aziz – became suddenly violent at a party last weekend, according to relatives and friends. He stabbed two friends and a police dog, then was fatally shot by Santa Clara police officers.

 

It should have ended differently, those close to him said Tuesday, after authorities officially released his identity. Relatives and colleagues question whether police did everything they could to defuse the situation before using deadly force. They sent two K9's in to subdue a knife weilding man who just stabbed two friends and he stabbed one of the K9's. How do you reason with someone, who at the point in time, doesnt understand reason?

 

Police and friends say James stabbed a police dog multiple times after stabbing a friend at the party. He had jumped through a glass plate window, run to a nearby house, jumped through another window and stabbed another friend who was reportedly trying to calm him down.

 

Aziz had no known criminal record in California, and his brother said he has no known history of mental illness. It’s unclear if he had taken drugs, on purpose or accident, but friends say he wasn’t know for abusing substances. Several said they wondered whether someone slipped him something in a drink or into a marijuana joint.

 

“Aziz was trippin’,†said longtime friend and fellow rapper, Eric Munoz, 24, of Watsonville, who goes by the name Ghambit. “I was like, ‘Dog, what’s happening bro? What’s wrong?’

 

And we tried to warn the cops: Don’t send in the dogs. But that’s what they did. It just got out of control.â€

 

James’ brother, Howard James III, said he can’t believe his younger brother and sidekick is gone.

 

“We went everywhere together,†the Santa Cruz drug and alcohol counselor said Tuesday. “My parents are devastated. He was their baby. I just don’t think police did everything they could have. Why didn’t they even try to talk to him, at least over a phone? He wanted their help.â€

 

Friends and family says they will lodge a formal protest and complaint against Santa Clara police for their handling of the situation.

 

Police won’t say much about the deadly pre-dawn scene, which marked the first officer-involved fatal shooting in Santa Clara since 2005. Officers Scott Fitzgerald, a 16-year veteran of the force, and Troy Johnsen, an 8-year veteran, were placed on routine administrative leave after the shooting.

 

As is standard, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office is investigating.

 

“It would be inappropriate to discuss the tactics used, since this is still being investigated,†Lt. Mike Sellers said. “But you need to look at the totality of the situation. He may be a nice guy, but my concern is what the officers were faced with.â€

 

The news of James’ death shook the local music scene.

 

“It’s a huge loss for Santa Cruz,†said Thomas Cussins, assistant talent buyer for the Catalyst nightclub in Santa Cruz. He hired James to perform or host numerous events, including the Santa Clara show James attended before the fatal incident.

 

“Everyone is talking about it,†Cussins said. “His versatility and charisma will be sorely missed.â€

 

Eddy Dees, house manager for the Catalyst, said James’ death was “beyond shocking†because he was “very respectful.â€

 

“We never had a problem at any of his shows,†Dees said. “I’m completely baffled. It’s totally not his M.O. to lose control like this.â€

 

Cussins said James, a graphic artist, stood out among local performers because he experimented with diverse musical styles like electronic, rock and spoken word. On Friday, James served as the host for a gig at Avalon Night Club in Santa Clara but did not perform, said Cussins.

 

Afterward, James and friends were partying with about a dozen people at a house on Crystal Drive. Around 3 a.m. Saturday, James called his older brother. “He was jokin’ around, he seemed to be fine then,†the brother said. But friends say he began acting paranoid and then, Munoz said, he went berserk.

 

James allegedly stabbed a friend and jumped through a window, running out of the party. Munoz said people were drinking beer at the party, and perhaps smoking a little pot. But he never knew James to take hard drugs – in fact he preached against hard drugs.

 

James ran two houses down and entered the residence by breaking a window, police said. He allegedly stabbed another friend who came to calm him down. Cussins, who was present during the incident, identified the stabbing victims as business associates in their early 20s, and said both have been released from the hospital.

 

When Howard James arrived at the scene about 5 a.m. – his brother had called him at 3:52 a.m. saying there were “people out to kill him†– he tried asking police to go inside and talk his brother down. He stabbed two FRIENDS and jumped through two windows. Time for talking was over. The answer, he said, was no. Finally, at 6 a.m., Howard James said he saw two police dogs go inside the home.

 

“I heard them breaking down the door,†he said. “I heard dogs barking. Then I hear the gunshots. Six fast ones, then two more. Like firecrackers.â€

 

“I knew he was dead,†his brother said. What he was was no longer a threat.

 

Funeral arrangements are pending.

[DK_Deadly_Intent]

penalty for killing a K-9 is the same as a cop.

[UNCLE-SID25]

Story reads:

 

"Dont bring a knife to a gun fight dog."

[UNCLE-SID25]

or

 

"Rapper sings "who let the dogs out"

 

Or

 

"A shank in the dog is worth 8 shots to the criticals"

 

 

[Colonel-Kurtz]

All i care to know is-how the heck is the dog? did it die? I LOVE K-9s.....it takes an unbelievable amount of discipline, love, and training to develop a single reliable K-9.

[[RIP]saint52]

I mean, I'm sure people are going to bash the cops actions but seriously. Gauge the situation if you were one of the cops.

 

1. Guy had just stabbed two people( dictates that hes capable of hurting or inflicting bodily injury.)

 

2. Jumping through windows and breaking and entering.( shows irregular behavior and shows that very little will stop this guy)

 

I do feel for the family's loss because I'm sure it was something he ingested one way or another. But when your at a scene like that and all of this is occurring, you most take precautions to protect other civilians and the police themselves. If he had been subdued by the K-9 and dropped the knife, he would be alive...

[BIGDANIEL]

UNCLE-SID25 ]

or

 

"Rapper sings "who let the dogs out"

 

Or

 

"A shank in the dog is worth 8 shots to the criticals"

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like you've found your calling. Writing song titles.

[crimson_guard]

THIS SUCKS, for tha guy all things considered the contractors or i mean cops did the right thing,but if that true? you kill a k-9 its the same as killing a cop,omg and people wonder why cops our hated,,so they can raid your house and kill your dogs and no charge, ok i get it trying to stay safe,we do tha same, murder charge what bullshit is this east Germany they had same policy, a dog is a weapon only an idiot wont defend himself i don't care what side of the law your on, maybe animal crulity more appropriate,but murder wow just wow thats like shooting the officers weapon out of his hand,and instead of getting charged with attempted murder of a peace officer,you get charged with capitol murder of a peace officer sidearm,wow just wow

[BIGDANIEL]

You dont know much about Police K9's do you?

 

They werent sicking their household dog on the guy. It was a trained K9. K9's are a part of an officers "tools" for effecting an arrest. During which, those being arrested, do not have the right to resist in any fashion. You dont have the right to resist when an officer goes hands on, you dont have the right to resist when you're sprayed, you dont have the right to resist when you're tazed (not that you'd be able to anyway), and you dont have the right to resist when being taken down by a K9. If you dont like being bitten by K9's, then dont be in situations where they have to let the dog loose on you. Or in this case, dont stab two of your friends and jump through plate glass windows then run into a house and hide from the police.

 

 

 

I will say though, you are allowed to fight for your right to party. ;D

[crimson_guard]

lol dude i cant read what you said you copied my sig too,and re read what i said if you understand what i said then your response would've been different, i want respond to what you said but ii cant read it lol

[crimson_guard]

Snake Doctor ]

You dont know much about Police K9's do you?

 

They werent sicking their household dog on the guy. It was a trained K9. K9's are a part of an officers "tools" for effecting an arrest. During which, those being arrested, do not have the right to resist in any fashion. You dont have the right to resist when an officer goes hands on, you dont have the right to resist when you're sprayed, you dont have the right to resist when you're tazed (not that you'd be able to anyway), and you dont have the right to resist when being taken down by a K9. If you dont like being bitten by K9's, then dont be in situations where they have to let the dog loose on you. Or in this case, dont stab two of your friends and jump through plate glass windows then run into a house and hide from the police.

 

 

 

I will say though, you are allowed to fight for your right to party. ;D

oh ok i see, but we have every right to disobey an officer there not fed, they are state if even that,we have the right to defend ourselves from police also, especially if your not breaking a law,however here thats not the case here,im just saying and i was referring to the claim that killing a k9 is akin to a murder charge and also how thats bs,not related to the dumbass stabbing everyone

[BIGDANIEL]

???

 

Ok