A 3-year-old girl was killed in the crossfire between police and a suspect who was fleeing in a car on Saturday in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
According to USA Today, the incident began after a man shot two people, a man and a woman, on Saturday morning. The victims were the child’s great grandmother and the grandfather. Both were taken to the hospital and are in critical condition.
After shooting the victims in the home, the man fled the scene with the 3-year-old. A witness notified police of the shooting and of the suspect who fled the scene in a Nissan Altima. The suspect stopped twice to exchange gunfire with the police.
Police killed the suspect the second time he stopped and recovered the child from the suspect’s car after the shooting ceased. She was killed by gunshots wounds she suffered in the crossfire.
At one point during the shootout, the car lost a wheel, but the suspect continued driving. The shootout ended at the 4600 block of Branch Avenue in Suitland, reported The Washington Post.
Prince George’s County Police spokesman William Alexander said investigators were checking for any history of domestic disputes that the victims or shooter may have had. The suspect, whose name was not released, was the child’s biological father. The mother of the child was not present at the scene.
“It’s going to be a long while before we can definitely say who shot who first,” Alexander said.