Man with infant is killed in standoff

Deputies say he pointed gun at child after car chase, daylong negotiation

An armed man who barricaded himself in his Lancaster mobile home with a year-old infant after a high-speed pursuit was fatally shot by at least one sheriff's deputy when he allegedly pointed a gun at the child's head, authorities said.

The fatal shooting occurred about 9 p.m. Wednesday, with the man pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. His name was withheld pending notification of relatives.

“The infant was recovered fine and uninjured,” said M. McClendon, a sheriff's spokesperson.

Around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, as the man drove at speeds topping 130 mph in a Kia SUV, California Highway Patrol officers began chasing him, according to the CHP.

CHP Sgt. Alejandro Rubio told reporters that during the chase, which occurred on multiple freeways and surface streets in Palmdale and Lancaster, the driver called the Sheriff's Department and said he had a gun and a child in the vehicle, and he threatened to shoot at officers if they didn't break away from the pursuit.

At about 1 a.m. Wednesday, the man fired shots at officers, Rubio said, but no officer or vehicle was struck.

The man eventually came to a stop outside the Lido Estates mobile home park in the 2500 block of East Avenue and got out of the SUV while holding a gun to the infant's head, Rubio said. The man then backed slowly into a mobile home, beginning the standoff.

The CHP contacted the Sheriff's Department, which dispatched a SWAT team.

The standoff continued throughout the day Wednesday and into the evening, with negotiators trying to talk the man into surrendering and turning over the child.

“The suspect placed a gun to the child's head while deputy personnel attempted to communicate with him, at which time a deputy-involved shooting occurred,” the Sheriff's Department said in a statement released Thursday.

“A firearm was recovered at the scene,” the statement said.