Memorial for SF officer killed 20 years ago in line of duty

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Twenty years ago Thursday, the death of a San Francisco police officer changed the way the department arms itself.

Officer James Guelff's six-shot revolver was no match for the firepower of a shooter who had several semi-automatic weapons.

The officer was killed while trying to reload. Thursday night, fellow officers and Guelff's family are remembering it at the location where he was killed.

On November 13, Guelff confronted Victor Boutwell, who was transferring bags of ammunition and guns from one stolen car to another.

As Guelff was reloading his six-shot revolver, the shooter, wearing body armor, then unloaded his semi-automatic weapon, killing him.

It was an intense shootout between police and the suspect, who was later killed.

Tony Ribera was San Francisco's police chief at the time.

"He had a bulletproof vest, he had a Kevlar helmet, automatic weapons. It was just so, Jim didn't have much of a chance," Ribera said.

Police described that the shooter had two assault rifles, three semi-automatic handguns, ammunition clips, fuses, powder and military gear.

Petros Yohannes owns a convenience store nearby. When he bought the store 18 years ago, the previous owner showed him a bullet hole from that day.

Every year, he stays to watch the memorial for Guelff.

"Always I see them. I have 18 years here and every year, I see them, they do it. Every year, once a year," Yohannes said.

There was such an outcry from police and the community that two years after the shooting, the department changed to semi-automatic handguns.

Five years later, in 1999, a law was passed in California that said violent felons could not purchase or possess body armor. But 10 years later, that law was overturned.

"Why does a private citizen need body armor? I can't see the logic of such a constitutional argument," Ribera said.

A plaque with Guelff's name on it and picture hang at the Northern District Station, one of 103 San Francisco officers who have died in the line of duty.