Scott Dunham: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

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Scott Dunham (San Jose Police)

Scott Dunham has been identified by San Jose police as the suspect in the fatal shooting of a city police officer.

The 57-year-old man, who is accused of killing Officer Michael Johnson, was found dead in his apartment after the shooting, police said.

Here’s what you need to know:


1. Police Were Called to His Apartment by His Family

The officers were responding to a call reporting a man with mental issues making threats.

The 911 caller reported an intoxicated man in his 50s with a gun to his head, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The newspaper reports that the suspect had threatened his wife and said he would have killed her if she stayed in their apartment. The woman left the apartment and called one of her children, who called police, the Chronicle reported.

Dunham is listed in public records as the apartment’s owner, along with his wife.


2. The Officer Was Shot by a Man on a Balcony

JamesTNixon/Instagram)

JamesTNixon/Instagram)

The shooting happened at about 7 p.m. local time in East San Jose in an area near Umbarger and Senter roads, the Mercury News reported.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the gunman fired at the officer from the balcony of an apartment building.

“Officer down! Officer down!,” could be heard over the police radio, the newspaper reported.

Officer Johnson was found in the street suffering from gunshot wounds, according to the Chronicle.

Police believe the man is armed with a high-powered rifle.


3. Police Used Explosives to Breach the Suspect’s Apartment

Officers swarmed the area to search for the suspect, shutting down area streets and telling residents to shelter in place. SWAT teams could be seen in the area, according to the Chronicle and Mercury reports. Police responded from all over the Bay Area to assist at the scene.

The building on Senter Road where the initial call came from was surrounded, police say.

Several hours after the shooting, police used explosive devices to breach the apartment where they believed Dunham was. He was found dead on the apartment’s balcony at about 3:30 a.m. Police said it’s not clear how Dunham died, though he may have been dead throughout the standoff, according to the Mercury News. He suffered at least one gunshot wound.


4. The Officer Was a 14-Year Veteran

Johnson served on the force for 14 years.

In a tweet, the city’s mayor, Sam Liccardo, said Johnson was engaged. He said he met with the family.

During a press conference, Liccardo said, “This is San Jose’s darkest hour.” Police Chief Larry Esquivel said, “it’s a sad day for law enforcement and the police department and the community.”


5. The Officer Is the First Killed in the Line of Duty in San Jose Since 2001

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Officer Jeffrey Fontana (San Jose Police)

The officer’s line of duty death is the first since Officer Jeffrey Fontana was killed Oct. 28, 2001, according to the department’s website.

Fontana, 24, was killed during a traffic stop. DeShawn Campbell was convicted of murder Fontana’s death.

Johnson and Fontana were in the same academy class, according to the Mercury News.