'Get the baby!' Police bodycam video records rescue in Surprise. What we know
Surprise police officers' rescue of a 6-month-old infant, who was shot multiple times while being held hostage with his mother last week, was captured on body cam video released by police officials Monday.
Police received a call about 11:30 a.m. Friday and responded to a home near 168th Avenue and Jenan Drive at around When they arrived, officers could hear multiple gunshots.
According to officials, one officer fired a gun at the house in response to the shots. Officers eventually entered the home and rescued the infant, and they could be heard yelling, "Get the baby!" in bodycam footage released by the Surprise Police Department.
The baby was handed off to medics and airlifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital. An hourslong standoff ensued between officers and the suspect, identified as 51-year-old Todd Christopher Marchetti.
Police attempted to negotiate with Marchetti, but those attempts did not elicit any positive response, said Sgt. Rick Hernandez, a spokesperson for the Surprise Police Department. Marchetti repeatedly refused to come out of the home and surrender himself, he said.
The standoff ended when the home caught fire around 3 p.m., and Marchetti was found dead inside with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, officials said. The cause of death is pending the medical examiner's full report, police added.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Because firefighters were unable to immediately enter the active crime scene, the blaze destroyed the home, authorities said.
How did Marchetti get to the woman and baby?
According to police, Marchetti broke into the house around 3 a.m. and held a woman and her 6-month-old baby hostage.
While the woman’s parents own the home, officials said it was likely that Marchetti knew the woman’s family would be out of town and unable to help her when he got into the home.
After Marchetti broke into the house, Hernandez said the woman tried to come up with multiple ways to distract him and escape to call the police.
Marchetti shot the family dog, and the woman tried to convince him to let her take the dog to the vet. Marchetti accompanied her to the vet, where the dog was euthanized. Marchetti lied at the vet about the dog’s condition, Hernandez said, telling staff that the dog had been hit by a car and providing a false name.
After returning to the house, the woman told Marchetti she would ask construction workers, who were building houses nearby, to fix a window that he broke while getting into the house. She asked the construction workers for help and was able to call 911.
According to Hernandez, Marchetti had multiple reports of domestic violence against him, involving both the woman and a juvenile. Before the incident, the woman did not have an active order of protection against him. Police had been notified at the home about harassing and threatening behaviors, which were referred to detectives at the time, Hernandez said.
The baby remains 'in critical condition'
The baby was shot at least four times in his lower extremities and continues to recover after undergoing at least three operations at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Surprise officials said as of Monday. Police said the baby's surgery went well and that he was in recovery, but he remained in intensive care and in critical condition.
Hernandez said it was unknown exactly how long the baby was injured before police were able to rescue him. The mother was also treated for minor injuries.
In a statement from the victims' family read by Hernandez, the family thanked the community for the support they've received after the incident. Two GoFundMe accounts were set up to benefit the family as the baby recovers and the family works to rebuild their life after the fire.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: baby shot multiple times in surprise hostage situation rescued
