World enews: Phoenix shooting: Suspect killed and eight police officers injured after being lured into attack using baby

A suspect has been killed and eight officers and a woman have been injured in a shootout in Phoenix, Arizona, where police were lured into the path of gunfire trying to rescue a baby.

Phoenix Police said the male shooter, who has not been identified, shot five officers and a woman as he barricaded himself inside a home near the area of 54th Avenue and Elwood Street in South Phoenix in the early hours of Friday morning.

The suspect was found dead inside the home following a five hours-long standoff situation.

Dramatic footage, captured by OnScene TV, shows a man emerging from the front door of the home with a baby and placing the child in a pink carrier outside.

He is then seen raising his hands in the air, turning around and backing toward the officers, who arrest him and place him inside a police car.

At that point, shooting breaks out as a suspect inside the home opens fire on the officers who try to retrieve the infant and take it to safety.

Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams said in an early morning press conference that the incident unfolded at around 2am when officers responded to a 911 call of a report of a shooting.

When the first officer arrived on the scene, a person inside the home opened fire, shooting the officer multiple times, she said.

Several other officers arrived on the scene where the suspect barricaded themself inside the home.

At one point, a baby was brought outside the home and placed in a carrier on the front steps to be taken to safety by police.

However, when officers went to retrieve the infant, the suspect allegedly opened fire again, shooting four other officers, said Chief Williams.

Offices returned fire at that time but it is unclear if anyone was injured.

The five officers shot were taken to hospital suffering gunshot wounds where one is said to be in a serious condition but recovering. The four others are recovering from their injuries, police said.

Another three officers were also injured by bullet shrapnel during the ambush.

Police said the baby was unharmed.

A woman was also shot during the incident and is in hospital in a critical condition.

It is not clear what connection the woman or the man seen with the baby may have to the suspected gunman.

Phoenix Police tweeted at around 7am local time (9am ET) that the standoff situation was over and that there was no ongoing threat to the public.

“The barricade situation has been resolved. There is no threat to the public. The area will be restricted while investigators are on scene,” the department said.

Police confirmed at around 9am local time that the suspect was dead. It is not clear at this time if the suspect was killed by officer gunfire or by a self-inflicted wound. No details are yet known about the suspect.

The standoff went on for around five hours in total, with Chief Williams saying in a press conference at 6am local time (8am ET) that the situation was still “active” at that time and that the suspect continued to be barricaded inside the home.

Phoenix Police first tweeted at around 3am that it was working a “critical incident” in the area of 54th Avenue and Elwood Street and told people to stay away from the active scene “for your safety”.

The department tweeted again at around 4:30am that the situation remained active.

“Phoenix PD is working on a situation involving a barricaded subject inside a house. 1 person and several officers have been injured,” the department tweeted.

The shooting comes just two months after Phoenix Police Officer Tyler Moldovan was shot eight times including suffering one gunshot wound to the head while in the line of duty back in December.

Officer Moldovan spent a month in hospital before he was finally able to return home in January.

Chief Williams referred to the dangers her officers are facing every single day in Friday’s press briefing, saying: “If I seem upset, it’s because I am. It’s senseless and it continues to happen over and over again.”

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey asked for prayers for the injured officers.

“Please continue to pray for the five @PhoenixPolice officers injured this morning. Our men and women in blue work day and night—no matter the circumstances—to protect our state from danger,” he tweeted.

“Their unwavering courage & sacrifice helps to keep us safe. Arizona is deeply grateful.”