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.
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.
