Arizona police officers raided a home on Friday to rescue a 6-month-old child who had been shot multiple times after the child’s father took the child and his mother hostage, according to a police statement.
The father, police said, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Surprised Police Department officers responded to the home at 11:30 a.m. Friday after receiving a 911 call about a woman and child who had been taken captive around 3 a.m. The woman eventually managed to escape and ran into a nearby group of construction workers, who called the police. The child was still inside.
When police arrived at the home, they heard “several gunshots” and one of the officers fired in response, according to the release. Officers “worked quickly to force entry and rescue the child, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds.”
The critically injured child was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he was stabilized, police said. The child’s mother was treated for minor injuries at the scene and taken to the hospital to be with her son, according to police.
Arizona police officers from Surprise, Goodyear and Phoenix attempted to negotiate a “peaceful resolution” to the standoff, according to a statement from the Surprise Police Department.
But shortly after 3 p.m., a fire broke out inside the home while the suspect, later identified as Todd Christopher Marchetti, 51, was still inside.
“Fire crews were unable to respond to the fire due to the possible threat and the sounds of gunfire coming from inside the home,” Surprise police said.
In a subsequent statement, Surprise police said officers entered the residence after the flames subsided and that it was safe to do so. Marchetti was found dead from what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The exact cause of death will be determined by a medical examiner, the police department said.
The shooting, fire and police response were under investigation.
Surprise is about 30 miles northwest of Phoenix.
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