Veteran San Jose police officer killed in shooting

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- San Jose police say Officer Michael Johnson was killed in a shooting on Senter Road Tuesday evening and a standoff is still ongoing with the suspect.

Officers received a report that a drunk man armed with a gun was threatening to kill himself in the 2600 block of Senter Road around 6:50 p.m., San Jose police Officer Albert Morales said.

When police officers arrived, the suspect opened fire from inside his residence. One of the officers was shot and pronounced dead at the scene, Morales said.

Police believe he is inside his apartment on Senter Road. Evacuations are underway around the suspect's apartment and authorities have told residents that they may not be able to return home until Wednesday.

At a news conference, police said the suspect is 57-year-old San Jose resident Scott Dunham. They say the suspect is married, but they believe he is alone inside his home.

RAW VIDEO: San Jose police chief, mayor discuss fatal shooting

Johnson worked patrol and was also a field training officer and worked with recruits. He was not with any recruits when he responded to the incident.

"This is a difficult day for us and our community," said San Jose Police Chief Larry Esquivel at a news conference. "I can assure you the person responsible for this act will be apprehended."

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo also spoke at Tuesday's news conference. "This strikes at the heart of all of us in San Jose and throughout the region. We will continue to do everything necessary to ensure the safety of the community in the are and to bring this assailant to justice," Liccardo said.

Earlier in the evening, ABC7 News reporter Lisa Amin Gulezian reported that police had asked her to move several times due to the volatile situation. In a tweet, she said an officer told her that "a high-powered rifle could be pointed at you right now," as officers evacuated the Carribee shopping center at 2875 Senter Road.

An employee at a Vietnamese restaurant on Senter Road, a block away from the shooting, said police informed them that there was somebody in the area with a high-powered rifle. The employee, who declined to give his name, said police instructed them to shelter-in-place at the restaurant, where there were roughly 20 customers inside.

Condolences from police departments throughout California began pouring in on Twitter late Tuesday.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of San Jose PD at the traffic loss of a fellow peace officer," the Sonoma Sheriff's Department said in a tweet.

According to the San Jose Police Department website, the last time an officer was killed in the line of duty was Officer Jeffrey M. Fontana in 2001.

READ MORE: Law enforcement agencies offer condolences after SJ officer killed

ABC7 News reporter Lisa Amin Gulezian is in San Jose. Click here to follow her on Twitter for live updates.

The Associated Press and Bay City News contributed to this story.