Nine police officers have been wounded in a shooting incident involving the rescue of a baby.
Officers with the Phoenix Police department responded to the scene in the early hours of Friday morning, February 11, after receiving a report of a woman who had been shot at a home.
Police arrived at the scene at around 2.15am local time before allegedly being invited inside by the suspect, after which he opened fire and struck one of the officers multiple times.
Sgt. Andy Williams told reporters at the scene the suspect 'ambushed' the officer with a gun and 'shot him several times'.
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The suspect returned to the home, but more officers were targeted a short while later when a man who was not the suspect placed an infant in a pink baby carrier outside the home. Police do not immediately believe the baby was brought outside in an attempt to encourage other officers to close in, but the suspect appeared to take advantage of the situation as he opened fire again.
Williams explained that the adult male placed the baby 'on the ground in front of the front door and then walked out towards the officers where they began detaining him', after which other officers moved in to rescue the baby. At that point, 'the suspect opened fire on the officers again', Four officers are said to have been struck in the chest, while four others were hit with ricocheted bullets or shrapnel.
Per Fox News, Williams continued: 'Those officers were all able to get back to safety, while two other officers returned fire at the suspect. They attempted negotiations with the adult male suspect and ultimately made entry into the home and determined that he was deceased inside.'
The suspect had died of an apparent gunshot wound.
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The entire ordeal lasted more than seven hours and was eventually resolved at about 7.00am local time. The officers who were injured during the shootings all suffered non-life threatening injuries, with some remaining on the scene even after having been struck.
Chief Jeri Williams has described the shooting as 'just one more example of the dangers our officers face every day keeping us and our community safe. If I seem upset I am. This is senseless'.
The woman who police had initially received reports about was critically injured, while the baby, who police believe belongs to the woman and the suspect, is safe.
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Emily Brown