A minor 15 years old kidnapped by her father in Southern California would have died shot by police officers on Tuesday in the middle of a shootout between the parent and officers.
Authorities had issued an AMBER Alert to establish the whereabouts of Savannah Graziano, after Anthony Graziano, of 45, be taken from a house where he allegedly shot dead the mother from whom he was separated.
Yesterday morning, officers received a call from a person who indicated that he identified the suspect’s white van. The missing child alert was issued on Monday.
When officers arrived on the scene, a pursuit began, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said at a news conference. The spokesman added that it was the man who started shooting at the policemen with several rounds that hit the patrol car through the window.
The chase continued along the highway 58 to the Interstate 15, where a second police unit joined the intervention. Bullets fired by Graziano disabled the vehicle shortly after.
Next, and after another exchange of gunfire, Graziano’s vehicle stopped off the road in Hesperia.
It was at that moment that the girl ran out with a helmet and tactical equipment from the passenger seat towards the uniformed officers while the fire with the suspect continued.
The girl collapsed before reaching the agents.
The father also died in the incident.
It is not clear if the girl died from the shots fired by her father or by the agents, although at the time the first version is handled as the most accurate.
An officer was injured in the face, but he is in stable condition.
The Police continue the investigation into the circumstances of the event, including whether the minor also shot at the police officers.