Five courageous officers of the Phoenix, Arizona Police Department were wounded in an ambush Friday morning as they attempted to rescue an infant held hostage on Lower Buckeye road shortly after 2 am. One officer is listed in critical condition.
Police ambushed in Phoenix
As related by Chief Jeri Williams of the Phoenix Police Department, Five of her officers were shot by a cowardly gunman who used a baby as bait to kill cops.
They were responding “to a shooting at a home near 51st Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road.” The first officer who approached was struck “multiple times” when the suspect opened fire.
Things got outrageous when “a baby in the home was placed in a carrier outside.” As police went to retrieve it, they were met with a hail of bullets.
“As officers went to bring that baby to safety, the suspect continued to shoot, firing and striking four other officers.” The Phoenix PD had no choice but to respond in kind. Once the suspect started using them for target practice, cops started shooting back. “At that time our officers returned fire. The suspect then barricaded himself in the home.”
BREAKING NEWS: this is video from the scene where 5 @PhoenixPolice officers were shot. You’ll see one man bring out a baby, who is okay. He’s taken into custody — then more shots are fired from the house at police. #azfamily 🙏🏽💙 pic.twitter.com/Z7H3I6IdCL
— Olivia Fierro (@oliviafierro) February 11, 2022
That’s when the special assignment unit took charge. Chief Williams noted she had a right to be upset. “If I seem upset, I am.”
“This is senseless, it doesn’t need to happen and it continues to happen over and over again.” She was relieved to be able to update that four police officers “are recovering and one of them is seriously hurt but is on the road to recovery.”
Suspect is dead
This suspect won’t be part of the revolving door justice system because he’s dead. A woman was also added to the critical list. The police boosted their tally of wounded to nine “recovering.”
Once they finally gained entry, the “suspect was found dead inside the home.” The ambush started “with a 911 call about a woman who had been shot.”
Later clarification revealed that the first officer to arrive “was actually invited by the suspect.”
As he “approached the doorway, the suspect ambushed him with a gun and shot him several times.” Despite his wounds, the officer retreated safely until police backup arrived.
According to bystanders and first responders five police officers were shot and four others were hurt by bullet shrapnel.” As law enforcement surrounded the house, “a man with a baby in his arms came out of the house.
“He put the baby in a carrier on the ground and then put his hands up to show officers he was not a threat.” He was. “Officers ordered him to walk backwards to them with his hands up, which he did. That’s when the suspect opened fire again.“
