Human shields don’t save gunman in 11-hour standoff

SEATTLE — A Washington state police officer responding to a domestic violence call was fatally shot, beginning an 11-hour standoff during which authorities say the gunman used two young children as human shields.

The fallen officer, Reginald “Jake” Gutierrez, had served with the department since 1999, Tacoma Police Chief Donald Ramsdell told reporters Thursday.

Dozens of officers had surrounded the home in Tacoma on Wednesday night

Early Thursday, authorities say a deputy got “a clear shot” and killed the suspect as officers rescued an 8-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy.

Pierce County sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said, “We were able to get the suspect cornered and trapped, even though he had two kids. We had a SWAT member who had a clear shot. We fired one round, which struck him.”