SWAT sniper who shot officer Reginald 'Jake' Gutierrez's killer acted lawfully, prosecutor finds

TACOMA, Wash. – The SWAT sniper who shot and killed the man who killed officer Reginald “Jake” Gutierrez acted lawfully, the Pierce County prosecutor’s office ruled Friday.

Bruce Johnson, 38, was shot in the head by Deputy Bob Shaw at a Tacoma home early on the morning of Dec. 1, bringing an end to a 10-hour standoff.

"The lives of two young children were saved by law enforcement officers from the Tacoma Police Department and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department who worked collaboratively,” prosecutor Mark Lindquist said in a statement. “The shooting was justified and prevented further loss of life.”

Police said Johnson fired at SWT officers several times during the standoff, and used his 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter as human shields.

The investigation found that Johnson told negotiators over the phone at about 3:15 a.m. that he would come out the front door and surrender.

Instead, he went to the back bedroom and was headed toward a window. A team was positioned just outside the window.

Shaw then shot Johnson once in the head.

When the team went inside, they found the 6-year-old pinned underneath Johnson. She said her father had been holding her in front of him by the shoulder when he was shot, and that he was holding a gun at the time.