Dad talks about harming family to 911, then fatally shoots toddler, AZ cops say
A father accused of fatally shooting his toddler had talked about harming his family in a 911 call, Arizona police said.
Officers were called to the family’s home in Surprise the evening of May 1 “after neighbors reported a man acting erratically,” the Surprise Police Department said in a post on Facebook.
The man, Dariusz Modrzejewski, 48, dialed 911 and talked about harming his family, police said.
Police “worked for a peaceful resolution while also setting up a perimeter around the home,” according to the post, and then “they immediately forced entry” after hearing a gunshot inside, police said.
They found the 3-year-old with a gunshot wound, according to police.
The girl was rushed to a hospital, and Modrzejewski was arrested in connection with assault charges, police said.
The police department said in an update May 5 that the girl died from her injuries.
The department is working with prosecutors to amend the charges to include homicide, police said.
McClatchy News couldn’t immediately reach an attorney for Modrzejewski on May 7.
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 11:22 AM with the headline "Dad talks about harming family to 911, then fatally shoots toddler, AZ cops say."
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