Phoenix: In a shocking incident, a man shot his six-month-old baby multiple times on Friday at his home northwest of Phoenix, Arizona in the United States after taking the infant and its mother hostage. However, in a fortunate turn of events, the mother managed to escape captivity and the child was expected to survive, according to authorities.
Police officers responded to an emergency call at a home in the city of Surprise at 11:30 am after a woman told them she and her baby had been held captive there since 3 am by the child's father. The woman managed to escape and borrowed a cell phone from a nearby construction crew, Sergeant Rick Hernandez said during a news conference on Friday.
The woman told the dispatcher the infant was still inside the home and could be in danger. Officers heard gunfire from inside the house as they arrived, Hernandez said. They entered and found the baby with multiple gunshot wounds but did not see the father. They retrieved the child and retreated.
“The infant victim was airlifted to a nearby hospital in serious condition, but injuries are believed to be non-life threatening,” Surprise police said in a statement Friday night, as the baby underwent surgery. “The female victim was treated at the scene for minor injuries and was transported to the hospital to be with the child.”
Hernandez said the man did not live at the home with the woman and the baby. "The condition of the suspect will be unknown until it is safe for investigators to enter the residence," the police said.
Meanwhile, SWAT officers surrounded the home in the afternoon, and Hernandez said investigators believed the man was still there. Authorities said the status of the suspect remained unknown after a fire broke out during a standoff with police. Aerial videos and photos from the afternoon showed a thick plume of smoke rising from the severely damaged house.
A fire broke out during the standoff with police, police said in their statement on Friday night. The blaze prompted firefighters to respond with two ladder trucks to spray water on it. They also doused the neighbouring residence to prevent the fire from spreading, according to the Arizona Republic.
(with AP inputs)
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