Man suspected of shooting 6-month-old son in hostage standoff found dead

A photo released by the Surprise, Arizona, police shows suspect Todd Christopher Marchetti. Photo / via AP

Warning: This story contains mentions of suicide and family violence that may be upsetting

A man suspected of shooting his 6-month-old son multiple times in the United States after taking the boy and his mother hostage, was found dead with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound in an Arizona home that caught fire during a SWAT standoff, police said.

The boy was reported to be in a critical but stable condition at a local hospital, Surprise police said. Earlier police said his injuries suffered the day before were not believed to be life-threatening.

Officers went to the home in the city of Surprise, northwest of Phoenix, in response to an emergency call at about 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 mother escaped with minor injuries and called emergency services with a cellphone she said she borrowed from a nearby construction crew.

Police heard gunfire from inside the house as they arrived, Sergeant Rick Hernandez said. They entered and found the baby with gunshot wounds but did not see the father. They retrieved the child and retreated.

The dead man, identified today as 51-year-old Todd Christopher Marchetti, had repeatedly refused to peacefully surrender. Fire damage to the home initially prevented authorities from finding him, Hernandez said.

“Once it was safe for investigators to enter the residence, they discovered the remains of Marchetti with what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The cause of death is still pending the results of the medical examiner’s full report,” police said.

Aerial videos and photos from the afternoon showed a thick plume of smoke rising from the severely damaged house.

Surprise police scheduled a news conference for Tuesday to provide additional details on the ongoing investigation, Hernandez said.