Gunman Slain in San Francisco Shootout Had Issued Warning

A drifter who died in a fierce, 25-minute gun battle that also claimed the life of a police officer had warned his family in the days before the rampage: “You’re going to be surprised at what I’m going to do.”

Wearing fatigues and a bulletproof vest, 37-year-old Vic Lee Boutwell hijacked two cars and sprayed a quiet neighborhood with more than 100 rounds from four weapons Sunday night. Holding off scores of officers, he shot out restaurant windows, pierced a gas line and hit a seventh-floor window in a hotel blocks away.

Boutwell, who was identified as a drifter who lived in his van in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco, eventually was shot to death by police.

Officer James Guelff, 40, a highly decorated 10-year police veteran, died Monday at a hospital after he was shot in the head by the gunman, Police Chief Anthony Ribera said.

Officer John Payne, 42, who was shot in the chest, was in stable condition Monday. Paramedic Melani Brandon was shot in the arm when she tried to help Guelff, police said. A civilian, Robert Pinckney, 34, was shot in the leg.

Police Monday displayed the array of weapons that Boutwell was carrying, including two assault rifles and three handguns. They also showed a bloodstained bulletproof vest worn by the gunman. Boutwell had a camouflaged military helmet with him and was carrying about 1,000 rounds of ammunition, police said.

“He had a fascination with weapons,” Inspector Alex Fagan told a news conference.

He said Boutwell had attended gun shows and knew a lot about guns. Investigators said he had been interested in mercenary and military-type magazines and weapons. Boutwell also had fuses and black powder but left no clues what he planned to do with them, Ribera said. Police found a scanner and notebook with police frequencies written in it, but no other notes.

Police said they did not know the motive for the shootout.

But Inspector Tom Walsh said Boutwell told a relative last week: “You’re going to be surprised at what I am going to do,” and a family member told police that he believed Boutwell was suicidal.

The shootout began after Boutwell carried out a series of carjackings, Fagan said.

Boutwell first stole a Lexus car in Mountain View, 30 miles south of San Francisco, Sunday afternoon. He failed in two other carjacking attempts before stealing a BMW in San Francisco, Fagan said.

At gunpoint, Boutwell ordered two passersby to help him transfer satchels from the Lexus to the BMW, Fagan said. Pinckney was shot during a struggle with the gunman. Police quickly arrived at the scene and the gun battle erupted.

Early news accounts stating that two gunmen were involved proved inaccurate.

Boutwell raked the streets with gunfire, hitting buildings and vehicles, before police shot and killed him. During the rampage, Boutwell even fired at cars passing blocks away.

Raymond Dutton was eating at the Gourmet Carousel when shots riddled the plate-glass window.

“There were bullets going off all over the place,” he said. “Everybody dove on the ground, but only after a couple of minutes. It sounded like firecrackers, like caps.”

Boutwell’s fascination with guns was not new, Walsh said. In 1988, San Jose police confiscated weapons from his home and arrested him. After that arrest, Boutwell moved out of his family home.

He had been living out of his van for six years, the inspector said.