2 kids, woman killed, cop hurt in Christmas standoff in Phoenix
A suspect is in custody after, police say, he shot and killed a woman and their two children before getting into a shootout with police at a central Phoenix apartment complex on Christmas, reports CBS Phoenix affiliate KPHO-TV.
Officers were called to the Highland Apartments at approximately 3:45 p.m.
When they arrived, they found a woman shot to death in the parking lot, according to Sgt. Jonathan Howard.
He said officers tracked the suspect to a specific apartment.
The suspect said he'd killed the two children inside, officers said.
2 kids & a woman are dead after a shooting in PHX. 1 officer hurt in shootout with suspect. Me & other reporters had to take cover #azfamily
— Derek Staahl (@DerekStaahl) December 26, 2017
UPDATE: 2 kids and a woman are dead after a shooting in Phoenix. Suspect in custody. 1 ofcr hurt in exchange of gunfire w/suspect. #azfamily
— Derek Staahl (@DerekStaahl) December 26, 2017
Police cordoned off the apartment complex and kept residents away.
Around 10 p.m., while officers looked inside the apartment from the outside, they spotted a 10-month-old dead, Howard said.
Officers continued to search from the outside for the other child, an 11-year-old, and that's when the suspect started shooting at officers, according to Howard.
They forced their way into the apartment and a shootout ensued.
An officer got hurt but it doesn't appear he was shot, Howard said. He was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
The suspect wasn't hurt.
The 11-year-old child was found dead.
The suspect was then taken into custody.
Police said the man and the woman used to be in a relationship.
Several people waited in parked cars across the street for hours until the situation was resolved.
"I can't believe it's Christmas and there's a shooting or whatever's going on. It's eerie. I feel bad for whoever is going through this," said Kristen Alexander.