TACOMA -- The man suspected of fatally shooting Tacoma Police Officer Reginald "Jake" Gutierrez was spotted impersonating police in November.
According to Tacoma police, 38-year-old Bruce R. Johnson, II. was at the Tacoma Mall wearing a Sheriff's department hat, a set of hand-cuffs on his belt and caring a soft rifle case on Nov. 15.
When mall security asked Johnson to leave he reportedly became irate and refused. Security then contacted police.
By the time officers arrived, Johnson had left the building and departed the parking lot in his car. Officers pulled him over to conduct a traffic stop. Police say Johnson had an unloaded 20 gauge Mossberg Shotgun in his front seat at the time.
Johnson reportedly told officers he took his shotgun into the mall because he was headed to the gun range and didn't want to leave it in the car.
When asked why he was attempting to look like an officer, he reportedly said that he "liked police and wanted essentially to fit in."
Johnson was banned from the Tacoma Mall for life by mall security.
