Officers Cleared To Work After Fatal Shooting Of Hatchet-Attack Suspect In Concord

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA – The two officers involved in the fatal shooting of a hatchet attack suspect in Concord earlier this month have been cleared to return to work, according to a police spokesman.

The officers, whose names have not yet been released, were cleared to resume their regular duties after a Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office investigation preliminarily cleared them in the shooting
death of Dominick Musulman on Oct. 11, Concord police spokesman Cpl. Christopher Blakely said.

One of the officers, a K-9 handler, returned to work Monday with his dog Jelle, who Musulman stabbed with garden shears before he was shot.

The other officer is expected to return in the near future, Blakely said.

The officers still await the results of a formal inquest, which could take place in a "couple months," Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney Barry Grove said.

Musulman, suspected of attacking and seriously injuring his brother's roommate with a hatchet before being shot and killed by officers, did so after apparently taking drugs and "entering a psychotic state of mind," according to a social media post apparently written by his brother.

An Oct. 14 post on the Facebook page of a woman who identifies herself as a long-time friend of his family says the piece was written by Musulman's younger brother. The post was shared on the social media site by
other members of the Musulman family.

The nearly 1,000-word post describes the hours of Oct. 11 just prior to the moment when Musulman, 30, is alleged to have attacked his brother's roommate with a hatchet at a home on Crawford Street, leaving him
with severe injuries to his arms and head.

"I believe that Dominick was overcome by drugs and entered into a psychotic state of mind where he was seeing and experiencing an alternate reality," the brother wrote. "At this time he attacked (the victim)."
The man Musulman allegedly attacked fled into the street, according to the post.

"It was at this time that Dominick dropped his weapons and started to jump fences until he ended up in a shed where he hid. The police found the shed and sent a dog in," the post says. "Dominick, still in a stressed and drug induced state, defended himself from the dog using gardening shears. He then continued on to approach the police and was shot a number of times in the chest."

The description of events is consistent with the one given by Concord police, who said that the two officers who shot Musulman are a man and woman who each have more than 15 years of experience with the Police
Department and are both field training officers with extensive training of their own.

At the time of the attack, Musulman was staying at a house with his younger brother and three other men, according to the Facebook post.

Musulman was apparently readying himself to live in the wilderness, and was mostly staying in the backyard "whittling, fixing tools, acquiring things he would need to survive, drinking a few beers, smokin a few
cigarettes, and reading deeply the word of God," the post says.

About the day of the attack, the post says, "This was an incident in Dominick's life where he made a terrible decision to take drugs, but it does not define him as a person. I love him and will love him forever and I
am unbelievably grateful to God that my friend and roommate ... survived."

A toxicology report has not yet been completed in the case so investigators have not determined what, if any, drugs Musulman might have taken.

A GoFundMe campaign, the Dominick Musulman Memorial Fund, is underway to assist the Musulman family with memorial and burial costs.

"On October 11, 2016 the Musulman family lost a son, brother, and crazy uncle, Dominick Demetrius Musulman. He was an amazing tradesman, artist, musician, and loud mouth. He was also an athlete and a competitor," the web page states.

"His charm, quick wit, humor, abrasiveness, love, and protective nature engulfed the affections of all who knew him. Dominick never hesitated to stand in defense of his friends and family. Even though he’s gone, he will forever be remembered and present in all our hearts and minds," says the fundraiser, which to date has raised $11,050 towards its $20,000 goal. See page here.

Concord police on Tuesday also thanked the public for well wishes on behalf of their K-9 Jelle. They said in a Facebook post that the dog is "still as eager as ever to be out there."

"We can't thank you all enough for the outpouring of support you have sent the past few weeks," the police Facebook post said. "Word of K9 Jelle's story spread across the Nation and his handler was truly grateful for
all the well wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery."

"Feel free to say hi to K9 Jelle next time you see him on patrol," police said. "He will be the one with the large patch of fur missing from his back for the next few months."

Previous coverage:

• Contra Costa Man, 30, Shot, Killed By Concord PD Identified
• Suspect Shot, Killed By Concord PD Was Wielding Garden Shears: Police
• Suspect Shot By Concord PD Dies After Alleged Stabbing Of Man, K-9 Cop 'Jelle'
• Stabbing Suspect Shot, Wounded By Concord PD

--Bay City News contributed to this report/Image via Concord PD