A suspect and a woman are dead, and nine police officers were injured Friday following a shooting and standoff in Phoenix, police said.
Phoenix police said the suspect, 36-year-old Morris Jones, shot an officer who initially responded, and then shot four others who were trying to rescue a baby at the location.
Four additional officers were injured during the hours-long standoff before Jones was found dead and the woman fatally shot.
“I cannot recall an incident in city history where so many officers were injured,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said Friday afternoon. “A baby is safe today because of our Phoenix police officers.”
Officers were sent to a home about 2:15 a.m. after receiving a 911 call reporting a shooting, according to police.
As an officer approached the home, someone inside opened fire, striking the officer, who was able to escape to safety, police said.
"He was actually invited inside by the suspect," Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Williams said during a news conference Friday. "As he approached the doorway, the suspect ambushed him with a gun and shot him several times."
Acting on officers' orders, a man later described as a family member walked out of the home with a baby girl, police said. He placed the baby on the ground, walked toward officers and was detained.
But when officers approached the baby to move her away, Jones opened fire again, leaving four more officers injured, according to police.
The baby remained between officers and Jones until SWAT team members arrived an unknown time later and extracted her, Williams said Friday afternoon.
The infant was unharmed and turned over to the state Department of Child Safety, police said.
Jones continued to barricade himself inside the home.
NBC affiliate KPNX of Phoenix reported that a fresh barrage of gunshots being fired could be heard about every 5 minutes during the standoff.
At least two officers returned fire, Williams told the station.
The suspect was eventually found dead inside of an apparent gunshot wound, police said. It’s unclear who fired the fatal shot.
The woman who had originally called 911 was also found shot in the home, and was later pronounced dead, police said.
Her identity was being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Authorities believe she and the suspect are former partners, and had the baby together, police said. He added that the "incredibly complex investigation" was ongoing.
Chief Jeri L. Williams described the youngest victim Friday as “a baby in a barrage of gunfire.”
“This has to stop,” she said, bemoaning gun violence.
Of the five officers hospitalized, four remained there Friday afternoon and were expected to survive, Williams said. One was in critical condition and three were in serious condition, he said.
The other injured officers were treated at the scene for shrapnel and "ricochet gunfire" wounds, Williams said.
