Police Identify Tacoma Officer Killed Wednesday

TACOMA, WA - Tacoma Police have identified the officer killed Wednesday night as Reginald "Jake" Gutierrez, 45, a 17-year veteran of the force.

"Officer Gutierrez instilled the values of not only the law enforcement profession, but the values of our department," Tacoma Chief Don Ramsdell said during a press conference. "He was highly respected in that area. He was a team player. He had a great deal of integrity. He served citizens in the highest capacity,"

Gutierrez was shot near 5:30 p.m. Wednesday night after responding to a domestic violence incident in the East Side neighborhood here. He was shot multiple times by suspected killer who has been identified by media outlets as Bruce Randall Johnson, 38. Gutierrez died several hours later at Tacoma General Hospital.

Ramsdell also gave more details about what happened before the shooting. Ramsdell said that animal control officers were called to the home on a report of an injured dog. When they arrived, a woman was outside the home and told the officers she had been locked out by her husband, who was inside. The animal control officers requested assistance from Tacoma Police, who arrived shortly after.

Gutierrez and another officer entered the home knowing that the suspect was in an upstairs room. Gutierrez ascended the stairs and, when he turned to walk down a hallway, was shot multiple times, Ramsdell said.

Johnson was killed after a nearly 12-hour standoff with police. Police say that he had used two young children - a boy and a girl, ages 6 and 8 - to shield himself during the standoff.

There has been an outpouring of grief and support in response to the officer's death. Many officers around the region are wearing black bands across their badges today, and flags are at half-mast. Citizens are visiting the main Tacoma Police station to leave flowers and pay respects. Gov. Jay Inslee visited the police station on Thursday morning.

Ramsdell said that Gutierrez had a fiance and children.

Tacoma Police Union President Sgt. Jim Barrett remembered Gutierrez on Thursday as an "awesome officer." The two served together on force, and Barrett was once Gutierrez' direct supervisor.

"He was definitely one of the good guys. He always came to work with a smile on his face. He reminded us why we do this job," Barrett told Patch.com.