Officials: Man shot his ex before ambush that injured 9 officers
PHOENIX — A man who shot his ex-girlfriend at a Phoenix home early Friday ambushed the first officer on the scene, seriously injuring him, then opened fire on other police as they tried to rescue a baby that was left outside the door.
The woman later died. In all, five officers were shot, including four who were wounded while trying to take the baby to safety. Four more officers were injured by shrapnel or ricocheting bullets, police said.
Of the five shot, four remain hospitalized. All of the officers were expected to survive, and the baby girl was unharmed.
“A baby is safe today because of our Phoenix police officers,” Mayor Kate Gallego said at a news conference near the scene.
The most seriously injured officer was the first to arrive at the home, around 2:15 a.m., following a report of a woman shot. He was invited inside, Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Williams said.
“As he approached the doorway, the suspect ambushed him with a gun and shot him several times,” he said. “That officer was able to get back and get away to safety.”
Video from the scene shows another man coming outside holding a baby and a satchel. The man put the satchel on the ground and then laid down the infant, wrapped in a blanket, between the satchel and the front door. He raised his hands to surrender while backing away from the house.
After that man was detained, other officers approached the doorway to get the baby girl, and the suspect fired more shots. The police returned fire, which then led the suspect to barricade himself. Eight of the officers were wounded by ricocheting bullets or shrapnel in that exchange, Williams said.
Police were able to get the baby to safety as a SWAT unit took over.
The suspect remained barricaded for several hours and was later found dead from a gunshot wound inside the home.
Police also found the suspect’s ex-girlfriend in the home. She had been shot and died hours later at a hospital, police said. Williams said the baby was believed to be the woman and suspect’s child. She is now in state custody.
Police identified the gunman as 36-year-old Morris Richard Jones III and said they were still trying to learn about the circumstances preceding the incident.
“This is just one more example of the dangers that officers face every day keeping us and our community safe,” Police Chief Jeri Williams said at an early morning news conference. “If I seem upset, I am. This is senseless. It does not need to happen and it continues to happen over and over again.”