An Arizona man is dead after police say he shot an infant Friday inside a Surprise home before taking his own life. According to the Surprise Police Department, Todd Christopher Marchetti shot his 6-month-old son multiple times during what deputies described as a hostage situation. The father subsequently died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
“Once it was safe for investigators to enter the residence, they discovered the remains of Marchetti with what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The cause of death is still pending the results of the medical examiner’s full report,” police said in the statement late Saturday.
AZ Family reports that Surprise officers responded to a home near Loop 303 and Cactus Road at 11:30 a.m. Friday after receiving a 911 call about a woman and child who had been taken captive at around 3 a.m.. The woman managed to flee and ran to a nearby group of construction workers, who called the cops. The child was still inside.
When police arrived at the home, they heard “multiple rounds of gunfire,” and one of the officers fired a round in response, according to the statement. Officers “quickly worked to force entry and rescue the infant, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds.”
The critically injured infant was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he was stabilized, police said. The infant’s mother was treated for minor injuries at the scene and taken to the hospital to be with her boy, according to police.
In a press conference on Friday, Surprise police spokesperson Rick Hernandez said, “She believed the baby was in danger … Officers responded to the residence and, upon arrival, they heard multiple rounds of gunfire coming from inside the residence.”
“That was when the officers forced entry. Upon forced entry, our understanding is that officers almost immediately located the injured child, took that injured child, and got the child to care.”
According to CBS 11, officers did not make contact with Marchetti while they were in the home. SWAT teams from multiple Valley agencies attempted to negotiate with the man.
A little after 3 p.m., a fire sparked at the home during the standoff. Police said that the response from the fire department was delayed due to the possible threat and sound of gunshots from inside the home. Once the fire was mostly put out, around 4:15 p.m., firefighters could be seen searching through the home. Officials do not yet know what caused the fire.
“Next thing you know, there was smoke. And after the smoke, there’s a huge ball of fire coming from the back of the house and it just spread from the back all the way to the front,” said Hector Holguin, Arizona’s Family drone operator, who was on the scene when the fire started.
“It just progressed. It collapsed the roof.” The incident is still under investigation. Check back for updates.