Shootings in Wisconsin and California left two law enforcement officers dead in separate incidents Tuesday.
The alleged shooter in the Wisconsin incident died and a manhunt is underway for Scott Dunham, the suspect in the San Jose incident, authorities said.
Dunham, 57, is believed to be holed up in an apartment, which is surrounded, police said.
San Jose incident
San Jose Police Officer Michael Johnson was killed while responding to a report of a suicidal man, the city police department said.
The incident started when police got a call Tuesday evening about a “despondent, intoxicated man, who possibly had access to a weapon, including a rifle,” said Police Chief Larry Esquivel of San Jose Police Department.
When officers arrived at the scene, gunfire erupted, he said.
Fellow officers fired back and may have wounded the suspect, but it is not known for sure, the police chief said.
Esquivel said Johnson was a 12-year veteran
“SJPD grieves as we offer our condolences to the family of our brother,” the police department tweeted.
Authorities are trying to apprehend Dunham safely, and are evacuating nearby residents. His wife, who is not at the apartment with him, is cooperating with investigators, Esquivel said.
“At this time, officers have the location surrounded in all directions as they attempt to locate the suspect,” said Albert Morales, a San Jose police spokesman.
Wisconsin shooting
In Wisconsin, the state trooper was killed during an attempted bank robbery incident in Fond du Lac, authorities said. The fallen trooper was not identified.
Gunfire rang out when the trooper was pursuing a car that matched the description of one used in a bank robbery, CNN affiliate WITI reported.
There was an exchange of gunfire, which led to the trooper’s death. The suspect also died, but it’s unclear how.
Authorities are not looking for any additional suspects.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation will conduct an investigation, a requirement for officer-involved shootings in the state.
Officers killed in line of duty
The number of law enforcement officers shot to death in the line of duty rose more than 50% last year, according to Washington-based National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
Many of those shootings occurred during police interactions with suspects such as traffic stops, responses to disturbances or attempted arrests.