Montgomery County police officers rushed inside a Fairland, Maryland, home and shot a man after he appeared to set something on fire while barricaded inside with his young son.
A bloody knife, flammable liquid and several lighters were found in the bedroom from which tactical officers plucked the boy, police say.
John Carlos Natera-Perez, 30, allegedly entered his ex-girlfriend's townhome on the 2800 block of Mozart Drive and attacked her and her current boyfriend.
The woman and her current boyfriend escaped, but her 3-year-old son was still inside with Perez, who is his father. Perez has a history of domestic violence, police say.
Officers were called to the home just before 8 p.m. Monday for a report of an assault. During the 911 call, police say a woman could be heard screaming, and a man's voice was heard saying, "I will kill you."
When officers arrived, they saw Perez standing in the door of his ex-girlfriend's home. Police say he was holding a knife and his clothes were bloody.
Perez then barricaded himself and the boy inside, authorities said.
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Via a loudspeaker, police say they asked Perez in both English and Spanish to release the boy. Perez refused to comply or leave, Capt. Paul Starks said.
SWAT teams and more than a half-dozen police cars surrounded the home, and officers could see Perez using furniture to barricade doors and windows inside the home, police said.
Perez was also seen writing on windows using what appeared to be blood on his fingers, they said.
Officers tried for over an hour to contact Perez. At one point, he lit an object on fire and threw it out of a second-floor bedroom window. Authorities say more smoke could be seen coming from the second-floor, and the home's smoke detectors could be heard from outside.
Hearing the child's screams, the officers rushed into the home to help. When they entered the home, an officer saw Perez and shot him.
The toddler was found on the second floor in the master bedroom and was not hurt. A bloody knife was found on the bed. Police say a flammable liquid and three lighters were also found in the master bedroom.
Perez was taken to the hospital in grave condition. Police say he is not expected to survive.
The officer that shot Perez was identified as a tactical unit member, Edward Cochran, who has worked with the police department for eight years. He is on administrative leave during the investigation.
Investigators say that Perez has a history of domestic violence. Perez' ex-girlfriend said he assaulted her and his son three weeks ago.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
