In a tense hostage situation, a team of Surprise, Arizona, police officers entered a barricaded home to the cries of a 7-month-old who had allegedly been shot by his father. And the officers recently recounted their heroic efforts on Fox News.
"I thought that one of us or multiple of us would get hurt going inside the house," Surprise Officer Carlton Williams told "FOX News @ Night." "The fact that the gentleman had already shot at officers multiple times, there was no doubt in my mind that we had to make entry into the home."
In May, the Surprise Police Department reported it received a 911 call about a woman and her child who were being held hostage. While the mother escaped, the baby was still trapped inside with his father. Officers heard gunfire and forced their way into the house.
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Officers said they busted in knowing they could confront the baby’s father in any room. As they cleared each room, they heard the infant’s cries coming from a back room in the home.
"Get the baby! Get the baby!" Williams yelled before Officer Travis Karpuleon secured the infant, carrying him to safety while the team provided cover. Officers made it out of the home without firing shots.
"This is as close as it gets to a perfect operation," said law enforcement expert Aaron Cohen. "They've got to get to the end of that structure and get to that kid, and they have no idea what's laying behind that door."
The child was transported by helicopter to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where he was reunited with his mother. The child’s mom made it out of the home before the child and called 911. The father, 51-year-old Todd Christopher Marchetti, later died after barricading himself in the home and lighting it on fire.
Karpuleon visited the family in the hospital as the 7-month-old recovered. During the visit, the family expressed gratitude for the officers' bravery and the collaborative effort of multiple units.
"It was obviously a very traumatic day, so I think they were just happy to have had the outcome that was able to be achieved by the team," said Karpuleon.
"These guys brought it. They're lucky to come out, but you can tell how well trained these guys are," Cohen added.
"FOX News @ Night" with Trace Gallagher showcases amazing police officers across the country in "Bodycam Heroes" at 11 p.m. ET.
Fox News' Grant Johnson contributed to this report.
