According to the district attorney, the three officers and one deputy were prudent and justified in the shooting death of suspect Jeremy Goulet.
The Santa Cruz sheriff also released new, never before released details on what happened the day that Detective Elizabeth Butler and Sergeant Loran "Butch" Baker were shot and killed in Santa Cruz.
Sheriff Phil Wowak says Butler and Baker were investigating Goulet for a recent sexual assault and went to his home. They talked with him near the back of his home and he agreed to meet the two officers at the front.
When they met, Wowak says Goulet fired his semi-automatic handgun five times in three seconds, hitting and disabling Baker and Butler. He then fired four more times at both of them before taking their weapons.
At 4 p.m., three Santa Cruz officers confronted Goulet in an alley behind his home. Goulet came at them, a gun in each hand, firing as he ran.
"Goulet fired 15 rounds randomly at the officers and the public standing in the parking across the street," Wowak said.
Wowak says Goulet died in a barrage of gunfire.
"I believe the exact number of rounds that were fired at Goulet from the four officers were 54 rounds in total," he said.
The four law enforcement officers were identified as Santa Cruz Police Sergeant Jose Garcia, Officer Barnaby Clark, Officer Tim Shields and Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Deputy Stefan Fish.
"While being shot at and under deadly attack, four brave and courageous law enforcement officers, three from the Santa Cruz Police Department and one from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, walked through the gates of hell, discharged their firearms as they'd been trained to do so under such circumstances, and ended this horrific event," Santa Cruz Police Chief Kevin Vogel said.
All four were put on administrative leave, but are now back on duty.
The Santa Cruz Police Department is also doing its own internal investigation through the independent police auditor. They're expected to release their findings to the City Council when they're finished.
