Mug shot released of man accused of stabbing San Jose police officer
Eli Scott, 41, of San Jose was arrested in connection with stabbing a police officer on May 5, 2025.
OAKLAND, Calif. - San Jose police on Wednesday announced the arrest of a 31-year-old man who they say drunkenly pointed a machete at a security guard at Target and then stabbed a police officer in the arm with another weapon in broad daylight.
Police also released a mug shot of Eli Scott of San Jose, which showed damage to his left eye.
Police said they were able to take Scott into custody only after a "significant struggle" on Tuesday shortly before 10 a.m. near Coleman Avenue and Taylor Street.
Someone had called 911 to report that a drunk man, armed with a machete, had been at Target and waving it around at a security guard, police and the mayor said.
A store guard confronted him and Scott dropped the machete, police said, before he ran away.
As an officer arrived in the area, Scott took out a separate knife and told him to stop, police said.
But Scott ran away again across Autumn Parkway toward an open field where two other officers chased him, police said.
Scott slipped and fell, which is when the officers tried to arrest him, police said.
It was then that Scott stabbed one of the officers in the upper arm, causing "a serious injury," police said in a news release.
Scott continued to "violently resist arrest" and tried to stab the second officer, police said.
Eventually, Scott was disarmed and arrested.
One officer was taken to the hospital with serious, but non-life threatening injuries and the other officer had to have surgery, police said.
Scott had minor injuries and was released from the hospital.
Scott, whom police said has an "extensive criminal history," was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder of two police officers, resisting arrest, assault with a deadly weapon, and brandishing a weapon.
"It is horrifying to imagine walking into a Target and running into a man with a machete," San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said in a statement. "Because of the dangerous actions of someone who clearly needed to be behind bars or in secure treatment, a San Jose police officer is in the hospital instead of on patrol. As I pray for his swift recovery, I’m asking: how many more first responders need to be injured before our county and state expand the mental health and addiction treatment facilities we need?"
Efforts to speak to Scott or determine if he had an attorney were not immediately available on Wednesday.
KTVU also reached out to the Santa Clara County District Attorney to see if Scott had been been charged but did not immediately hear back.