San Jose landlord identified as armed suspect killed in police shooting

By Carlos E. Castañeda

A San Jose landlord was identified as the armed person shot dead by police officers on Sunday night after a disturbance involving a tenant, authorities said Tuesday.

The shooting happened on Sunday at about 11:13 p.m. on Locke Drive in a residential neighborhood just south of E. Capitol Expressway and east of Andrew P. Hill High School. The San Jose Police Department on Tuesday provided an update on the investigation, saying the incident began about three hours earlier with a report by a Locke Drive resident saying she was in an altercation with her landlord who was armed, and that the landlord assaulted another person.

Officers responded, interviewed all involved parties, and determined that the suspect did not brandish the firearm, police said. In addition, the reporting party did not want to pursue criminal charges at that time.

After officers left the scene, the same resident called 911 at about 9:32 p.m. and reported that the landlord brandished a firearm at her and a second roommate, and held them against their will inside the home, according to police. Officers returned to the home determined that an assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats, and a possible kidnapping had occurred, police said. 

The suspect, identified as 69-year-old Ted Lieu, who fled before officers arrived. Officers removed the victims from the home and began searching the surrounding area for Lieu. Police said the officers found out that Lieu was hiding at another home on the same street a few houses away.

At about 11:13 p.m., officers found Lieu hiding in a shed located outside of the other home, and police said that during that encounter, Lieu brandished a firearm and fired at least once at the officers. The officers returned fire and struck Lieu at least once; he was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. 

Officers recovered a handgun at the scene and several firearms at Lieu’s home, according to police. Police Chief Paul Joseph said at a press conference on Tuesday that Lieu had a criminal history involving firearms and disturbing behavior.

“There’s a history of disturbance and conflicts Lieu has had with neighbors, tenants and others involving firearms and erratic behavior,” Joseph said. “A San Jose police officer had previously secured a firearm from Lieu and booked it for safekeeping during an incident in which Lieu was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold. That was the only firearm registered to him. It’s unknown at this time where Lieu obtained the other firearms.”

Joseph also said that Lieu had an active warrant for an assault and battery that allegedly happened in January involving the same tenants as this case.

It was the police department’s third officer-involved shooting this year.

No officers were hurt, and all three officers involved, two with seven years’ experience and one with eight years’ experience as SJPD officers, had their body cameras activated during the incident, the department said. 

Aside from the police investigation, the incident was also being reviewed as per protocol by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, SJPD Internal Affairs, the City Attorney’s Office, and the Office of the Independent Police Auditor.

Anyone with information about the incident was asked to contact Sergeant Barragan #4106 and/or Sergeant Yee #4342 and/or Detective Harrington #4365 of the department’s homicide unit at 4106@sanjoseca.gov, 4342@sanjoseca.gov, 4365@sanjoseca.gov, or at 408-277-5283.