California Cop Shooting: Alleged gunman dead after fatally shooting two police officers in Santa Cruz home, police say

(CBS/AP) SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -  A man suspected of fatally shooting two Santa Cruz police officers Tuesday when they went to his home over a reported sexual assault was killed himself in an exchange of gunfire with police officers who subsequently gave chase.

Sgt. Loran Baker and Detective Elizabeth Butler were shot and killed around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday as they went to the home of 35-year-old Jeremy Goulet, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's office. Goulet was shot and killed a short time later while authorities were pursuing the gunman.

The veteran officers were shot while following up on allegations that Goulet, a barista, made inappropriate sexual advances on a co-worker at her home, authorities said. Goulet was arrested Friday, and he was reportedly fired the next day.

Baker, a 28-year veteran of the force, and Butler, a 10-year veteran, were subsequently fired upon and called for backup, authorities said. Responding officers located Goulet a short time later. The sheriff's office said he was killed in the gunfire that followed.

"There aren't words to describe this horrific tragedy," said Police Chief Kevin Vogel. "This is the darkest day in the history of the Santa Cruz police department."

The shootings prompted the lockdown of two schools and an automatic police call to nearby residents, warning them to stay locked inside. The ordinarily quiet residential neighborhood echoed with a brief barrage of gunfire that killed the suspect about a half hour after the officers were shot.

After the shootings, police went door-to-door in the neighborhood, searching homes, garages, even closets to determine whether there might be additional suspects. Police, sheriff's deputies and FBI agents filled intersections in the community about 60 miles south of San Francisco.

The city's mayor, Hilary Bryant, said in a statement that the community was "heartbroken at the loss of two of our finest police officers who were killed in the line of duty, protecting the community we love."

"This is an exceptionally shocking and sad day for Santa Cruz and our police department," Bryant said.

Goulet worked as a barista at a coffee shop in the Santa Cruz harbor. He was previously convicted in Portland, Ore., in May 2008 of peeping at a 22-year-old woman who was showering in her condominium and of carrying a concealed weapon, according to The Oregonian. He was on probation but was sentenced to two years in jail after a dispute with his probation officer.