Tacoma police officer identified from fatal shooting

Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland identified the officer who was fatally shot Wednesday night as Reginald “Jake” Gutierrez.

“On behalf of our entire city, we offer our most sincere condolences to his family, his loved ones, and the men and women who wear the Tacoma Police Department badge,” Strickland said.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Officer Reginald ‘Jake’ Gutierrez,” she said.

Gutierrez was 45 years old and was the father of three children. He was also a grandfather.

The gunman who killed the Tacoma police officer as he was responding to a domestic-violence call continued to shoot at other officers as they tried to remove the officer from the home.

“They put together a quick rescue team and they went in immediately to confront the suspect and get people out of the house,” Tacoma police spokesperson Loretta Cool said.

Tacoma homeowner: Police handled fatal shooting with professionalism

Police successfully removed the Gutierrez from the home, but he died after being at the hospital for “a short period of time.” Cool says the officer was shot multiple times.

Cool says the 11-hour standoff with the shooter came to an end around 3:30 a.m. Thursday.

The shooter, a 38-year-old Tacoma man, had previously been arrested for intimidation with a weapon in 2015.

Photos from the scene

“The incident ended when the suspect was shot by police and was pronounced dead at the scene,” she said.

A 6-year-old boy and 8-year-old girl were reportedly used as human shields by the suspect who attempted to barricade himself in the home at 413 East 52nd Street. The two children are  reportedly the shooter’s.

The Tacoma officer’s body was transported from the hospital to the medical examiner’s office late Wednesday night as law enforcement and members of the community lined the streets to pay their respects.

Related: Community sends thoughts, prayers to Tacoma Police

Since the early morning shooting, there has been an overwhelming amount of support for the officer and the department, Cool said.

“We’ve had people give us hugs,” she added.

The number of officers killed by gunfire this year is up significantly, according to KIRO 7. That increase comes as racial tensions in the country are high. But Cool does not suspect that to be the case in Tacoma.

“No. I don’t believe that had anything to do with what occurred,” she said. “That is not my initial reaction. This was a person who had his own demons and displayed them in this fashion.”

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