2 police officers killed in California shootout

Two California police officers were killed in a shootout while investigating a sexual assault complaint.

According to USA Today, Sgt. Loren Butch Baker, a 28-year veteran of the Santa Cruz police force, and Detective Elizabeth Butler, a 10-year veteran, were shot and killed Tuesday while following up on an investigation into a sexual assault.

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The suspect, 35-year-old Jeremy Goulet, was shot and killed by other officers about 30 minutes later and just a few blocks away from where Baker and Butler were killed.

"There aren't words to describe this horrific tragedy," Police Chief Kevin Vogel told the Associated Press. "This is the darkest day in the history of the Santa Cruz police department."

Baker was a married father of two and Butler was the mother of two sons, noted Fox News.

Goulet was being investigated for making inappropriate sexual advances on a coworker at her home. He was arrested Friday and fired the next day.

The shootings caused two nearby schools to go on lockdown and an automatic call from police to nearby residents telling them to stay locked inside.

The shooting that killed Baker and Butler is one in a recent rash of violent crimes in Santa Cruz, a city of 60,000 about 70 miles south of San Francisco.