Father shoots his 6-month-old at Surprise home after baby's mom flees for help, police say
Surprise officers, hearing gunfire, forced entry into a house to rescue a wounded 6-month-old soon after the baby's mother escaped and called for help, authorities said.
The day ended with the house engulfed in flames.
The father of the infant, who did not live in the house with the woman and the baby, broke in about 3 a.m. Friday and would not let the woman and their child leave, Surprise police said. The woman was able to escape hours later and call 911 after seeking help from a nearby construction crew.
Police entered the house, in a community of new homes under construction near Loop 303 and Cactus Road, shortly after 11:30 a.m. They brought out the baby and provided aid before the child was flown to a hospital. The injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, and the baby underwent surgery on Friday, police said.
The father's standoff with police ended after the house caught fire after 3 p.m., with clouds of smoke visible for miles.
The condition of the man was unknown and would remain so until it was safe for investigators to enter the house, Sgt. Rick Hernandez, Surprise police spokesman, said.
A frantic call to 911: Her baby was in danger
When the woman called 911, she said she had managed to escape from her child's father and was calling from a construction worker’s phone, police said.
She said she believed her baby, who was still in the house, was in danger, authorities said.
Officers heard multiple rounds of gunfire as they arrived at the residence near 168th Avenue and Jenan Drive, police said.
A Surprise police officer fired one round in response toward the residence. However, police said no officers were injured, or otherwise discharged their weapons or made contact with the man.
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In the home, police found the baby with multiple gunshot wounds, authorities said. The baby's mother was treated for minor injuries and taken to the hospital to be with her child, police said.
Officers from SWAT teams from Surprise, Goodyear and Peoria responded, along with police negotiators from Surprise, Goodyear and Phoenix. Armored SWAT vehicles were seen outside the house, which was surrounded by armed officers.
House catches fire as sounds of gunfire heard
The standoff continued for hours. About 3 p.m., the house caught fire, prompting firefighters to respond with two ladder trucks to spray water on it. They also doused the neighboring residence to prevent the fire from spreading.
Firefighters didn't approach too closely, however. Police believed the shooting suspect was still inside, and sounds of gunfire were coming from the house.
A nearby school was placed on lockdown, and the Surprise Police Department asked that the public avoid the area, including the intersection of Cactus Road and Autoshow Avenue.
The Buckeye Police Department would lead the investigation into the police discharge of a weapon, Surprise police said.
Madeline Nguyen is a breaking news reporter for The Republic. Reach her at Madeline.Nguyen@gannett.com or 480-619-0285. Follow her on X @madelineynguyen.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Baby shot several times, rescued by officers, Surprise police say
