A San Jose family says they have been hit with a big cleanup bill after a deadly shootout between police and a suspect inside their home on Tuesday. The family says they’re deeply grateful for the police efforts to save them but were not expected to have the multi-thousand-dollar bill to clean up the aftermath.
On Tuesday, San Jose police rushed in to confront a known violent criminal hiding at a home. There was shootout inside the home that left a sergeant injured and a suspect dead, but the immediate danger was resolved. The family living in the home was left shaken but grateful.
However, mixed in with the gratitude was dread because bills for the damage done needed to be paid and, for now, that falls to the family.
“I am incredibly grateful for the officer who risked his life to save the lives of my family and my grandkids but, wow. The house is major, major damage,” homeowner Brett Bymaster said.
One bill came immediately.
Bymaster paid $3,375 for biohazard cleanup. Desperate for help softening the financial blow, the family reached out to Mayor Matt Mahan, who said the city will help and will reexamine the reimbursement claim process.
“As you can imagine this is not a very frequent incident, thankfully, but we will cover the cost of the biohazard cleanup and reimburse this homeowner for that, and that’s something our city manager will take care of. And then, I’m working with the city manager and the city attorney to look at the claims process more broadly,” Mahan said.
Bymaster was very grateful but still faces thousands of dollars in structural repairs and a city claims process that usually takes about 45 days just for a decision.
“Coming up with the funds for all those repairs… Pretty worried about that. Pretty concerned as a family how we’re going to get through that, you know, on top of finding enough money to have a place to stay, and the mortgage is still due,” he said.
The family is still getting estimates on the cost for city and home insurance claims. Meanwhile, the Victim Assistance program of the District Attorney’s Office called and also offered to help.