Fugitive Murder Suspect, Teen Daughter Killed In Police Shootout; 1 Officer Injured
KEY POINTS
- Anthony Graziano was wanted for the murder of the teen's mother
- Deputies chased his vehicle for 45 miles before the shootout
- A rifle was recovered from the man's vehicle
A fugitive murder suspect and his 15-year-old daughter, whom he allegedly abducted, were killed in a shootout with law enforcement Tuesday. It occurred on a highway in California's High Desert, authorities said.
Anthony Graziano, 45, killed his estranged wife and allegedly kidnapped their daughter, Savanna, before fleeing the spot. The incident happened in Fontana, a small suburb located 50 miles east of Los Angeles, the previous day. Following this, deputies issued an Amber Alert for Savanna, warning people that Anthony was "armed and dangerous."
The Amber Alert was canceled after the duo's deaths. It was not known why Anthony killed the woman.
Someone informed deputies after spotting the suspect's Nissan Frontier cruising down the highway at Barstow, which led police on a chase for around 45 miles. Anthony fired at the deputies from the pick-up van's rear window throughout the chase, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus told reporters, the Associated Press reported.
The suspect exchanged multiple gunshots with the deputies before his vehicle got disabled and came to a halt on Interstate 15 in the Victorville area, Discus said. A gun battle ensued between the suspect and the officers. At one point, Savanna exited the vehicle wearing a military-style vest and started running toward the deputies but she collapsed halfway.
The girl was taken to a hospital but she succumbed. Her father was found in the driver's seat and was pronounced dead at the scene. A rifle was found inside his car.
It was, however, not clear if the girl was shot by her father or the deputies.
One deputy was injured after being hit by shrapnel, News-Times reported.
The shootout temporarily halted traffic along Interstate 15, ABC 7 reported. A video shared by the outlet showed the aftermath of the shooting.
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