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PHOENIX – An hours-long barricade situation and shooting left nine police officers hurt, and two people, including the suspected gunman, dead at a home near 51st Avenue and Broadway early Friday morning.

Incident began as a shooting call

Officials say the incident began after a woman had reportedly been shot in a home just after 2 a.m. on Feb. 11.

When an officer approached the house, a male suspect reportedly invited him inside before shooting him multiple times in an ambush.

“The first officer was shot multiple times. He was injured the most significantly. Non-life-threatening. At this time, he’s expected to survive,” said Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Williams. 

Backup officers later arrived, and surrounded the home with the suspect barricaded inside.

At some point during the standoff, a man inside the home walked out and placed a baby on the ground before being detained. He was seen on video walking outside dropping the child off, then walking toward police with his hands up. As officers approached the house to get the baby, the gunman opened fire. Two other officers on scene returned fire, but four more officers were hurt by ricocheting bullets and shrapnel.

Eventually, police were able to get inside the home and found the suspect dead inside, along with the woman.

Officials have confirmed the suspect’s name as 36-year-old Morris Jones.

According to federal court records, Jones had previously pleaded guilty to using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

Officials say Jones died from an apparent gunshot wound, but it is currently not known whether Jones died in the shootout, or if he turned the gun on himself.

Authorities say the suspected gunman and the injured woman had been in a past relationship, and the baby was their child. The infant was not hurt.

“Investigators are working to uncover what led to this terrifying act, some of it which was caught on tape by the media,” said Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams. “I saw the video, and it still gives me chills.”

Some injured officers were taken to the hospital

As for the officers injured, four of them are in stable condition, and one is in serious but stable condition. Those who were hit by shrapnel stayed at the scene until the barricade situation was over.

Outside Banner University Hospital, where a number of officers who were injured in the incident were receiving treatment, Ann Ender and Linda Colino with the Blue Ribbon Project were doing a task they say they have done a lot lately: putting up blue ribbons as a sign of support for police officers.

“I think all of us who believe in public safety and support our police department are heartbroken when something like this happens,” said Ender. “We’re all praying.”

Members of the Blue Ribbon Project hope their small gesture helped.

“They need to know they’re supported,” said Colino.

During a news conference that took place hours after the incident, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said she visited one of the injured officers in the hospital.

“Today at the hospital, I talked to an officer just about to go into surgery. He only wanted to know about the rest of the squad and how they were doing. That is the type of incredibly selfless individual who serves the City of Phoenix,” said Mayor Gallego.

“As gunfire was breaking out, our officers went in,” said Chief Williams. “Those are the kind of officers we have in our community.”

Neighbors react

The neighborhood where the shooting took place has a lot of homes that are nestled close to each other. People who live there were worried when the situation unfolded, and subsequently escalated.

Those who live near the home where the suspect was barricaded report hearing several shots around 2:00 a.m.

“When you’re sleeping, you think you’re dreaming at first. It took me, like five minutes,” said one person. “At that point, you think it’s right there. After you hear the first one, I said that sounds like a shooting outside or something.”

It was when they were evacuated later in the morning they realized how serious the situation was.

“It’s pretty quiet for all this to be going on right next door,” said Justin Jacobs. “It’s kind of crazy, right down the street.”

At one point, Phoenix Police officials told people, via a tweet, that they were working on a critical incident, and asked people to stay away for their safety. At around 7:00 a.m., police posted an update saying the barricade situation has been resolved, and that there is no threat to the public.

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