The shootings follow a recent series of violent crimes in Santa Cruz that have residents on edge (Wikimedia Commons)

Two Santa Cruz police officers were killed in a shootout with the suspect also being fatally wounded on Tuesday.

According to The L.A. Times, the shooting occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a man opened fire on the two Santa Cruz Police Department officers who were doing a follow-up criminal investigation at a home.

The officers were identified as Elizabeth Butler, an officer for 10 years, and Loren "Butch" Baker, a 28-year veteran. The suspect, identified as Jeremy Peter Goulet, 35, was then killed about 30 minutes later in a second shootout with officers from multiple jurisdictions.

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The Times reported:

• The loss of the two officers followed a recent series of violent incidents in the city and was especially devastating for the small Police Department, which has about 90 sworn officers. Butler and Baker were the first officers slain in the line of duty in the department's history.
• "This is a horrific day. We lost two exceptionally fine officers," a visibly shaken Chief Kevin Vogel told reporters. "We need to figure out a way to bring our department together and get through this."
• Analicia Cube, who founded the community group Take Back Santa Cruz in late 2009, called the deaths "just devastating for our community."
• The city, about 60 miles south of San Francisco, is best known for its famed surf spots, seaside amusement park and diverse community that includes a University of California campus.
• But in recent weeks, a UC Santa Cruz student was shot in the head, another student was reportedly raped and a home-invasion robbery left residents on edge.
• "Santa Cruz has always been a different, eclectic kind of town," Cube told The Times, breaking down in tears as she talked about the killings. "Now it's just gotten ugly."

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