Police identify suspect in Surprise hostage, baby shooting case
INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA
Posted 5/18/24
A 51-year-old man has been identified as the suspect who died Friday in a hostage situation at a house in Surprise where a 6-month-old boy was shot multiple times before the home burned to the …
You must be a member to read this story.
Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.
Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here
Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
To Our Valued Readers –
Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.
For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.
Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.
Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.
Need to set up your free e-Newspaper all-access account? click here.
Non-subscribers
Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber.
Register to comment
Click here create a free account for posting comments.
Note that free accounts do not include access to premium content on this site.
I am anchor
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Police identify suspect in Surprise hostage, baby shooting case
(Surprise Police Department)
Todd Christopher Marchetti
Posted
INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA
A 51-year-old man has been identified as the suspect who died Friday in a hostage situation at a house in Surprise where a 6-month-old boy was shot multiple times before the home burned to the ground.
The suspect has been identified as Todd Christopher Marchetti, police said Saturday afternoon.
On Friday, police officers learned a woman had been held hostage inside her home by the father of her child since 3 a.m.
After breaking into the home, the suspect would not let the victim and their infant child leave, causing the victim to fear for her and the child’s safety, police said.
“The victim was eventually able to get away from the suspect and sought help from a nearby construction crew who called police,” police stated in a release, adding officers learned the infant was still inside the home with the suspect.
Officers heard rounds of gunfire from inside, and an officer fired one round in response toward the residence where the suspect was located, police said.
“Officers quickly worked to force entry and rescue the infant who sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Officers and tactical medics immediately rendered aid to the victims,” the release stated.
The boy was airlifted to a hospital in serious condition, but his injuries are believed to be non-life threatening. The woman was treated at the scene for minor injuries and was taken to the hospital to be with her son.
“When officers entered the home, they did not make contact with the suspect. SWAT teams from Surprise and Goodyear Police responded, and negotiation teams from Surprise, Goodyear and Phoenix police departments attempted to negotiate a peaceful resolution,” the release stated.
Shortly after 3 p.m., a fire started in the home while the suspect was inside. Fire crews could not tend to the fire due to the possible threat and sounds of gunfire coming from inside the house, authorities said.
“Marchetti continually refused to come out of the home and peacefully surrender to police,” Surprise authorities stated in a release.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Surprise Police Department will conduct a press conference on Monday to address some questions, the release stated.
