Vallejo Police Department, California
End of Watch: Thursday, November 17, 2011
Age: 43
Tour of Duty: 21 years
Badge Number: 497
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 17, 2011
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Police Officer James Capoot was shot and killed during a foot pursuit of bank robbery suspects following a high-speed chase.
Officer Capoot pursued the suspect vehicle through a residential area, where he executed a PIT maneuver and disabled the suspect vehicle. He pursued the suspect on foot until he was shot several times while in the back yard of a residence.
He was transported to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, where he succumbed to his wounds.
The suspect was arrested near the scene. On November 11, 2015, he was sentenced to three life terms with no possibility of parole.
Officer Capoot was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He had served the Vallejo Police Department for 19 years and had previously served with the California Highway Patrol for two years. He is survived by his wife and three daughters.
In January 2014, Highway 37 between Highway 80 and 29 was renamed Police Officer James Capoot Memorial Highway.