Arizona police officers burst into a house Friday to rescue a 6-month-old who had been shot multiple times after the child's father took the infant and its mother hostage, according to a police statement.
The father, police said, ultimately died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Surprise 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 flee and ran to a nearby group of construction workers, who called the cops. The child was still inside.
When police arrived at the home, they heard "multiple rounds of gunfire," and one of the officers fired a round in response, according to the statement. Officers "quickly worked to force entry and rescue the infant, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds."
The critically injured infant was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he was stabilized, police said. The infant's mother was treated for minor injuries at the scene and taken to the hospital to be with her boy, according to police.
Arizona police officers from Surprise, Goodyear and Phoenix attempted to negotiate a "peaceful resolution" to the standoff, according to the statement from the Surprise Police Department.
But shortly after 3 p.m., a fire started inside the house while the suspect, later identified as Todd Christopher Marchetti, 51, was still inside.
"Fire crews could not tend to the fire due to the possible threat and sounds of gunfire coming from inside the house," Surprise police said.
In a subsequent statement, Surprise police said officers entered the residence after flames died down and 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 gunfire, blaze and police response were under investigation.
Surprise is about 30 miles northwest of Phoenix.
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