County Jury Inquest Rules Death of Man Shot By Cops Was 'At Hands of Other, Not Accident'

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA – PHOTOS: October 2016 crime scene in Concord; Dominick Musulman; K-9 Officer Jelle.

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The death of an Antioch man who was shot and killed by police in Concord last October has been found by a coroner's inquest to be a death at the hands of another person other than by accident.

Several officers gave testimony Wednesday at the inquest in Martinez surrounding the events that took place on Oct. 11 that resulted in the death of 30-year-old Dominick Musulman.

A pathologist said he conducted an autopsy on Musulman, and found that the decedent had a "significant amount" of methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system at the time of his death, along with caffeine.
He said Musulman, who arrived at the morgue naked, had two patterns of injuries on his body consistent with gunshots and small lacerations and bruises that came from a canine.

According to police, a K9 officer was used when officers were attempting to detain Musulman.

The pathologist said the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest.

Officers Erica Reed and Jim Nielsen shot Musulman after he allegedly attacked another man with a hatchet at about 2 p.m. in the 2900 block of Crawford Street.

After the attack, Musulman allegedly fled on foot, shirtless, through nearby backyards and was soon found hiding in a shed behind a house in the 1400 block of San Jose Avenue near Prospect Street, just a block from
the Concord BART station.

As the officers entered the yard, Musulman came out of the shed naked and allegedly beat and stabbed police dog, Jelle, with large garden shears, attempting to scissor the dog in half.

Musulman then reportedly turned and advanced toward the officers, who opened fire, striking him multiple times.

Officer Nielsen said he heard Musulman shouting something to effect of "shoot him" or "get him" in the moments before the shooting, but could not recall exactly what he heard.

Nielsen said the events in the backyard happened very quickly, "in a matter of about 45 seconds to a minute."

He said that both he and officer Reed repeatedly told Musulman to get on the ground and drop the shears, but Musulman didn't seem to be phased by their commands.

Officer Reed opened fire first at Musulman shooting at him two times. The third time she discharged her firearm, Nielsen simultaneously discharged his firearm, and struck Musulman in the chest.

Nielsen said Musulman then went to the ground in a crouched position with his arms under him, and despite having just been shot was still not obeying commands.

"It was something like out of a horror movie," Reed said.

After the events in the backyard, officer Nielsen took Jelle to the veterinarian to be checked out, before he was sequestered. Officer Reed, and a third officer who did not discharge his firearm, but was on scene during the shooting, were also sequestered.

Contra Costa County holds coroner's inquests for fatal incidents involving law enforcement officers or in-custody deaths. A jury rules only on the manner of a person's death, which may be an accident, suicide, natural causes or other non-accidental causes. No criminal or civil liability is assigned.

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--Bay City News/Images via Concord PD