Dad holding gun to baby’s head is shot dead by police in 20-hour standoff, CA cops say

A dad held a gun to his baby boy’s head after leading police on a chase in which he was clocked at 132 mph, authorities in California said.

The dad, who was not identified, was eventually shot and killed by a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy after a 20-hour standoff at his mobile home in Lancaster, according to a news release from the sheriff’s department.

The 1-year-old boy was not injured, according to authorities and media reports.

California Highway Patrol troopers were initially trying to stop a speeding Kia SUV around 1 a.m. on Dec. 21 but the driver took off, according to KTLA.

He fired several rounds at law enforcement officers during the high-speed chase, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

During the police pursuit, the man called the sheriff’s department saying he was armed with a baby in the car, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Officials said the pursuit ended at the 2500 block of East Avenue I in Lancaster.

The man, who was later identified only as “Fernando” by his aunt, Elijandra Rosas, got out of the car while holding a gun to his son’s head, according to The Orange County Register.

The man locked himself and his son in his home in the Lido Estates Mobile Home community, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Rosas issued a plea during the standoff for her nephew to surrender.

“Fernando, please get out of the house, please. I want to see you. I want to see the baby,” she said according to KTLA.

Fernando placed a gun to the child’s head while deputies with the department’s Special Enforcement Bureau tried to communicate with him, at which time a deputy opened fire, authorities said.

The man was shot and pronounced dead at around 9:05 p.m. at the scene, according to the news release.

Lancaster is about 70 miles north of Los Angeles.

This story was originally published December 22, 2022 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Dad holding gun to baby’s head is shot dead by police in 20-hour standoff, CA cops say."