UPDATE: Fairfield Man Suspected of Killing Vallejo Cop

Vallejo police said this morning only one suspect robbed a Bank of
America and fatally shot Officer Jim Capoot after a vehicle and foot pursuit
Thursday.
          At a news conference at police headquarters today, police
spokesman Sgt. Jeff Bassett identified the suspect as 37-year-old Henry
Albert Smith Jr., of Fairfield.
          Smith is being held at the Solano County Jail in Fairfield. He
will face charges of bank robbery and murder, police said at a news
conference today.
          Capoot, 45, a 19-year veteran of the Police Department, had
responded to reports of a robbery at the Bank of America on Springs Road
around 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
          Smith allegedly fled in a silver GMC Denali and was pursued by
Capoot. The pursuit ended a few miles away in the 100 block of Janice Street
when Capoot used his patrol car to force the SUV to spin out, then chased
Smith on foot when he ran into a residential neighborhood, Bassett said.
          Capoot and Smith were about 10 to 12 feet apart when Smith
allegedly fired two or three shots, according to Bassett.
          Capoot, who was wearing body armor, suffered one mortal wound in
the back, Bassett said.
          Smith was in possession of a handgun when he was arrested moments
after the shooting, Bassett said. He did not disclose the caliber of the gun.
          Bassett said Capoot did not fire his weapon during the pursuit,
but he believes another officer used his Taser to arrest Smith, who was
trying to break into a nearby home.
          Some Vallejo police officers are equipped with a palm-sized Vievu
camera. Capoot's camera captured the vehicle pursuit and the maneuver that he
used to disable Smith's SUV.
          Officers also wear the camera on the front of their uniform, but
Capoot left it in the patrol car so the foot pursuit and shooting were not
recorded, Bassett said.
          A surveillance camera in the bank also recorded the robbery, he
said.
          Police initially believed two men were in the SUV that fled the
bank but investigators confirmed later Thursday that Smith was by himself,
Bassett said.
          "These situations are fast-moving, and sometimes information gets
relayed or perceived wrong," he said. "We wanted to make sure there wasn't a
second suspect before assuming there wasn't one, and we did that last night."
          Bassett did not say whether Smith has a criminal record, but said
bank robberies are typically not a criminal's first offense.
          A citizen had pointed out the getaway car to Capoot after Smith
fled the bank, Bassett said.
          "That's how he keyed in on the vehicle," he said.
          Smith was wearing a Halloween mask during the robbery and shed
some of his clothing before the arrest, Bassett said.
          There are no plans yet for a funeral service for Capoot, Bassett
said. Information about a fund for his family may be released later today.
          Capoot leaves behind a wife and three daughters.
          "Nobody's hurting more than them right now," Bassett said.
          He said Capoot had also built an addition to his Vacaville home to
accommodate two teens whose parents died in a motorcycle crash.
          Capoot, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and the California
Highway Patrol before becoming a Vallejo police officer in 1992, also coached
girls basketball at Vallejo High School.
          A memorial was growing today at the entrance to the Police
Department's headquarters at 111 Amador St., where community members had
placed candles, balloons and more than three dozen bouquets.
          A signed Vallejo High basketball jersey and a card were left by
Allessandra Jefferson, a former player Capoot had coached.
          "Words can't express how much you mean to me and this community,"
Jefferson wrote. "You will always be remembered in my family."
          Police Sgt. Sid DeJesus said Capoot, who chose to patrol the
Country Club Crest area of Vallejo, came to work everyday and always had a
smile on his face.
          "He was highly regarded in the department and the community,"
DeJesus said. "He will be remembered as a true American hero."
          He said Capoot "was very happy and full of life. He set the
standard for everyone in the department to follow. He liked what he did and
he enjoyed his life and his family."
          Police hung a black banner on the side of the police station. It
reads, "You will be greatly missed Officer Jim Capoot."

--- Bay City News Service