On Friday cops were called to the mother of Morris Jones home to save his child. The phone call was made by the child’s mother. When cops arrived, they found her critically injured.
Police were called to victims’ home at 54th Avenue and Elmwood Street around 2:15 a.m.
Morris Jones reportedly stepped outside the home and placed the baby in a carrier just outside the door. He then walked backward toward police with his hands up, cops said. As of Friday, cops did not believe the man who brought the infant outside was involved in the shooting, but said he lived at the house where the shooting happened.
When officers approached the home to get the baby, Morris shot four more officers, according to police.
Officers then returned fire, police said, and Morris barricaded himself inside. He was later found dead inside the house, police said. It’s unclear whether police bullets struck him or if he died of a self-inflicted wound, police said.
Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Williams said in a late Friday morning news conference that he believes nine is the most Phoenix officers ever injured at one time.
“It’s hard to see our brothers and sisters get hurt and I know it’s hard for the community to see community members get hurt,” he said. “We’re not the only ones who were injured here today and we recognize that.”
He added that police will continue to do their jobs, even on challenging days like Friday, because it’s the job they chose and it’s their duty to protect the public.
“This is just one more example of the dangers our officers face every day, keeping us and our community safe,” Chief Jeri Williams said during an early Friday morning news conference. “If I seem upset, I am. This is senseless — it doesn’t need to happen, and it continues to happen over and over again.”
The name of the mother of Morris Jones child has not been released. As of Friday afternoon, the baby was to be in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety, police said.
