Man Gets Into Christmas Shootout With Cops After Killing Wife And Kids

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Grace Carr

In an usual display of violence on Christmas Day, an Arizona man shot and killed a woman and two children before the police were able to take him into custody.

While the victims have not yet been publicly identified, the woman and two youngsters were likely the wife and children of the shooter, according to Time Magazine.

Sgt. Jonathan Howard told Time that his officers tried to speak with and apprehend the suspect who had barricaded himself inside an apartment. The Phoenix authorities were, for a time, unable to extract the man from the apartment building but indicated that the man admitted he had shot a woman and children.

After the man began shooting at the police officers on site, they returned fire in a brief shootout before bringing the man — who is reported as having sustained no injuries — into custody. Police recovered the bodies of an 11-month and 10-month in the apartment. There has been no report on the woman’s age.

Arizona is not as accustomed to such violence — especially on Christmas Day — as other cities like Chicago, but happily the latter experienced one of its least violent Christmas weekends this year. Chicago overall has seen a decline in the number of shootings compared to last year. This year, the total number of people shot is 3,534, while last year’s total reached 4,300 people shot. (RELATED: With 20 People Shot, Chicago Sees A Decline In Christmas Weekend Shootings).

This story will be updated as new information is released.

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