Murder suspect and his 15-year-old daughter were killed in a shootout with police on a California highway
Photograph: AP
Authorities said 15-year-old Savannah Graziano was wearing tactical gear when she began to “run towards” deputies during a shootout that killed her and her father.
A man accused of fatally shooting his wife and his 15-year-old daughter was killed in a shootout with police in California.
During a press conference Tuesday, Sheriff Shannon Dicus of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department stated that the chain of events began with homicide; the suspect was identified as Anthony John Graziano.
Authorities believe Graziano had his 15-year-old daughter Savannah with him after the incident, which prompted the Fontana Police Department to issue an Amber Alert. The alert, which included information about Graziano’s vehicle, was later sent to the California Highway Patrol, according to Dicus.
Police received a phone call at 10:25 a.m. local time Tuesday from someone who claimed to have seen Graziano’s car. Deputies from Barstow arrived in the area and “encountered the suspect vehicle,” according to Dicus.
“A pursuit ensued, and as a result of that pursuit, the suspect immediately starts firing at our deputies, putting several rounds through the windshield of the patrol unit,” said Dicus.
He went on to say that the pursuit continued down Highway 58 to I-15 near Glenwood. A second patrol car arrived at that point.
“The suspect [was] firing back at our deputies the entire time,” Dicus said, adding that the suspect shot the second car, causing it “to become disabled.”
The shootout went further down I-15 near Victorville and Hesperia, where the suspect was “constantly shooting back at the deputies during that period of time.”
The suspect veered off the road while still on I-15, and multiple patrol cars attempted to detain him.
“As a result of that, a firefight ensued. During that firefight, the suspect vehicle comes to rest — at which time a suspect exits the passenger side of the vehicle wearing tactical gear,” Dicus said. “That subject starts to run towards Sheriff’s Deputies and during the gunfire goes down.”
Deputies then started to clear the car to “make it safe and render medical aid,” he added.
Authorities believe the subject was Savannah, and Graziano was behind the driver’s seat. Their identities must still be confirmed with the coroner, according to Dicus.
Savannah was taken to a nearby hospital and died at 11:52 a.m.
