A man shot his 6-month-old baby multiple times Friday at a home northwest of Phoenix after taking the infant and its mother captive, but the mother escaped with minor injuries and the child was expected to survive, authorities said.
They said the status of the suspect remained unknown after a fire broke out during a standoff with police.
Officers went to the home in the city of Surprise in response to an emergency call around 11.30am (local time) from a woman who said she and her baby had been held captive there since 3am by the child’s father, police said.
The woman managed to escape and borrowed a cellphone from a nearby construction crew, Sergeant Rick Hernandez said during a news conference Friday. He said she 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.
