Suspect found dead after Calif. police officer killed
SAN FRANCISCO — A suspected shooter in the San Francisco Bay Area city of San Jose was found dead from a gunshot wound following an exchange of gunfire with police on Tuesday night that killed one officer, local authorities said.
The suspect, identified as Scott Dunham and said to be in his 50s, was dead on the balcony of his apartment when police found him early Wednesday morning, the San Jose Police Department said on Twitter.
Police had earlier responded to a call about a suicidal man armed with a gun, and officers were fired upon as they approached the apartment Tuesday night, police spokesman Albert Morales said in a statement.
Veteran officer Michael Johnson was killed in the gunfire exchange, officials said.
A standoff ensued, with San Jose Police Chief Larry Esquivel telling a late-night news conference that Dunham was likely still in his home.
Authorities evacuated nearby residents and roads were blocked as authorities responded using armored vehicles and a helicopter, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
It was not immediately clear if Dunham died from a self-inflicted wound or was hit during the exchange of gunfire with police.
The last killing of an on-duty San Jose police officer occurred in October 2001, according to the department’s website.
