(CBS/AP) A toddler was shot and killed when her father used her as a shield in a gunbattle with police following an hours-long standoff, officials said. The man also died and an officer was wounded.
Here's the story according the the baby's mother:
The child's mother, Lorena Lopez, said she pleaded with officers to hold their fire.
But then:
Police called in a SWAT team and tried to speak with the man; when they at one point attempted to help a neighbor escape the area, he fired at them and they fired back, McDonnell said.
Well, I wasn't there, but my question is this: What does it matter if the suspect was firing at police? Don't the cops have cars to hide behind, and bullet-proof vests?
The suspect's brother had this to say:
Flanked by lawyers and clerics who criticized the Los Angeles Police Department, Pena said his family — including nine siblings — were mainly confused and in pain.
"They should have acted more patiently, knowing that there was a baby in his arms," the brother said. "It's not OK what they did."
Article comments
1 - Tan The Man
When I heard the story, the police weren't sure if the baby was killed by a police bullet or the suspect's bullet. An immense investigation was underway.
2 - simon hb
===
Flanked by lawyers and clerics who criticized the Los Angeles Police Department, Pena said his family � including nine siblings � were mainly confused and in pain.
"They should have acted more patiently, knowing that there was a baby in his arms," the brother said. "It's not OK what they did."
===
... whereas, of course, using your child as a human shield is perfectly fine. Nobody much comes out of this covered in glory, do they?
3 - Tan The Man
Seriously, if someone shoots at you - it's everyone's instinct to shoot back. No one doubts how tragic the event was.
4 - PseudoErsatz
A rare agreement with Tan: These police officers are trained to use their weapons instinctively. No matter how much 'restraint' you practice, hot lead smacking off the concrete around you and making those hair-raising sounds as bullets pass by your ears will do much to override restraint with instinct.
The sorry human whose actions led him to pick up his own child in an effort to buy him more time is solely responsible for this tragedy.
5 - Nancy
This is another 'lets blame the cops' story. Follow ups will feature photos of the mother & family looking pitiful & clutching pictures of the baby & homicidal husband, and whining about what a wonderful but stressed-out guy he was who just needed some tlc. Any bets?
6 - JR
LAPD spent a lot of years earning the criticism they're getting now.
Having said that, if a guy is firing a gun off in a neighborhood full of civilians, extreme measures may be called for.
Best to wait for more facts on this one.
7 - Nancy
I wonder why they didn't get in a sharpshooter to take him out; maybe there wasn't time?
8 - Dawn
I am the last person to discuss matters concerning innocent children being hurt - it makes me want to do something violent.
But, I don't think the police should automatically be blamed for this tragic incidence - when the hell are we going to take some g*ddamn responsibility for our actions in this society? The sole person to blame is the criminal using his child as a shield, what a horribly craven act - you can be sure that the police involved are extremely tormented by the entire event - whereas the family is just looking for a scapegoat, when it's clear that the only person responsible is their own flesh and blood.
9 - Natalie Davis
I am no fan of cops and do think they could have been judicious given the involvement of a baby (don't we see cops on teevee using caution when hostages are involved in a standoff?), but clearly the dad was primarily responsible here. This story has me so upset that I have little choice but say something snarky in case any criminally minded unfit parent is reading: Guess this shows the worthlessness of INFANTS as bulletproof vests.
10 - Natalie Davis
It occurred to me that #9 began with an unfair generalization. Of course there are some decent, honest, careful cops; it would be wrong not to acknowledge that fact. And I would guess that the officers involved in this terrible situation are just sick over the baby's killing, as they should be.
11 - RJ
"Seriously, if someone shoots at you - it's everyone's instinct to shoot back."
Yep. And of course the baby was not killed INTENTIONALLY...if this madman hadn't used the baby as a human shield and had not fired on the cops, this would not have happened...
12 - Tan The Man
"A rare agreement with Tan"
What other things have you agreed with me? Are we just polar opposites - PseudoErsatz?
13 - Bo Hica
Its true, the S.O.B. is ultimately to blame. I don’t have a problem with that. I’m glad the a-hole died but on the other hand, I wished he wouldn’t have. I say so, that way he would live the rest of his sorry ass life in torment and prison. What I don’t understand is how come a baby died? Don’t we have sharp shooters in the police dept? If not, maybe we should. If the standoff lasted 3 hours, I don’t understand why wasn’t one of these so called sharp shooter there? Perched, on a roof top, the target’s face in his gun sight, BOOM! Pop one in the head, done! Cops are trained for hostage situations (I think). Snipers, at least the last I heard were sharp shooters, so why? This is just speculation, we all know how gun ho, trigger happy LA cops are (word on the street is). My guess is, the sniper was waiting for the ok to shoot (as his job dictates) and as he was waiting for word to shoot, the beat cops (perhaps a little antsy from the wait and heat) decided to fire back with all the blazing glory they have permission to from their leadership to do. It’s a dangerous job, I know, he was shooting, I know, but you have a baby in the equation, it makes for a lot more thought and patience. What can we do? The cops have the guns. Once again, they prove they’re not afraid to use it. God forgive the cop that fired the killing bullet, he’s only doing his job. Your soul is in his hand. Peace to the family of the slayed baby.
Rambling of a Idiot
14 - Tyrone
White cops could careless about human life the coward in the last 50 years have murder baby as young as 2 months as old as 92 years old A SENIOR CITIZEN.We are all responsible! Because of the hatred of minority white cops feel they answer to NO ONE! Then we see a 72 year old white women taser like aanimal! America has gotten gutless to racism and allowed it's evil to over power respect of LIFE!