Lancaster standoff suspect dead, baby rescued

LANCASTER, Calif. - An armed man who barricaded himself in a Lancaster mobile home with a year-old infant following a high-speed pursuit then engaged in a shootout with deputies was fatally shot by deputies during the standoff, authorities said Thursday.

No deputies were injured, and the baby was rescued and not hurt, authorities confirmed.

California Highway Patrol officers began chasing the suspect identified as Fernando Fierro in a white Kia SUV around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday as he drove at speeds topping 130 mph, CHP Officer Patrick Kimball told City News Service.

CHP Sgt. Alejandro Rubio told reporters that during the chase, which traveled on multiple freeways and surface streets in the Palmdale and Lancaster areas, the suspect called the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and said he had a gun and a child in the vehicle, and he threatened to shoot at pursuing officers if they didn't break away from the pursuit.

At about 1 a.m., the suspect fired shots at officers near 17th Avenue East and Avenue Q, Rubio said, but no officers or vehicles were struck by the gunfire.

The suspect eventually came to a stop outside the Lido Estates mobile home park in the 2500 block of East Avenue I and exited the SUV while holding a gun to the infant's head, Rubio said. The suspect then backed slowly into a mobile home, beginning the standoff, which was continuing late Wednesday night. The barricade has been going on for over 16 hours. 

The CHP contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which dispatched a SWAT team to the scene.

After shooting the suspect when he put a gun to his child's head a second time, deputies took him into custody. He was later pronounced dead.

Elijandra Rosas, who identified herself as the suspect's aunt, told reporters at the scene the suspect is named Fernando, and that he had his 17-month-old son with him inside the mobile home. She issued a plea for him to surrender.

"Fernando, please get out of the house, please. I want to see you. I want to see the baby. ... Please, think of your mom and your dad and your sister and your brother, Fernando, please," she said.

According to authorities, Fierro is a convicted felon with a long history of criminal accusations, including 15 years in state prison.