A suicidal ganman armed with a high-powered rifle fatally shot a veteran San Jose police officer late Tuesday during a welfare call — a tragedy Mayor Sam Liccardo described as the city's darkest hour. The shooting is the first killing of a San Jose police officer in 14 years.
Law enforcement as well as government officials from the Bay Area and beyond offered sympathies to Officer Michael Johnson's family and the San Jose Police Department by sending thoughts and prayers on social media.
Meanwhile, anxious San Jose residents took to Twitter to share their thoughts, as police continued their search for the gunman Tuesday night. The killer was found dead early Wedneday on his apartment balcony. Because of the active manhunt, Officer Michael Johnson lay where he died until Wednesday morning. A procesison of officers escorted his body from the scene.
Police departments offered condolence messages on Twitter by posting pictures of police badges wrapped in black bands, a symbol of mourning for police officers. Tweets poured in from the Mountain View, San Francisco, Burlingame and Sunnyvale police departmetns as news of the fatal shooting broke.
"To the @SanJosePD and community, we mourn with you. #thinblueline," tweeted Mountain View Police.
"SJPD is in our prayers and thoughts," tweeted San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr.
Gov. Jerry Brown also issued a statement Wednesday morning: "Anne (Brown) and I extend our deepest condolences to Officer Johnson's family, friends and fellow officers," the statement said.
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Brown ordered flags at the Capitol to be flown at half-staff. "Officer Johnson will be remembered for his courage and dedicated service and we join the entire San Jose community in mourning this tragic
loss," Brown said.
