This father used his toddler daughter as a shield in a standoff with police. 
Police still fired at them and killed them both. I don't know, but I feel like they (police) could have done more to prevent this. I mean if they had to shoot the guy couldn't they have used a sharp shooter to get the guy without hitting the little girl??? I think the situation is being evaluated to see if the shootout was the only solution as the officers are claiming. What a tragedy. 
Police still fired at them and killed them both. I don't know, but I feel like they (police) could have done more to prevent this. I mean if they had to shoot the guy couldn't they have used a sharp shooter to get the guy without hitting the little girl??? I think the situation is being evaluated to see if the shootout was the only solution as the officers are claiming. What a tragedy. Quote:
LA police kill 'human shield' toddler
July 12, 2005 - 5:44AM
A toddler was shot and killed when her father used her as a human shield in a gunbattle with Los Angeles police.
The man also died and a police officer was wounded in the hours-long standoff, officials said.
The man was identified as Jose Raul Lemos, and the girl, about 17 months old, was his daughter, police said.
The officer, who was not immediately identified, was shot in the shoulder and was expected to recover.
"He was using the baby as a shield," Assistant Police Chief Jim McDonnell said.
"We showed a tremendous amount of restraint, but unfortunately the suspect's actions dictated this," he said.
"It's a true tragedy."
The child's mother, Lorena Lopez, said she pleaded with officers to hold their fire.
"He had problems with depression, his business was not doing well," Lopez told KNBC-TV.
"I told them that he needed help, he needs a psychologist, but please don't shoot. They didn't understand, and the police fired, like, 300 shots."
It was unclear who fired the shot that hit the girl, but officers were struggling with the thought that they killed a baby, McDonnell said.
"The officers are taking it very hard," he said.
"Anytime you have a baby killed, it takes its toll."
The standoff began at around 3.50pm (0550 Monday AEST) when officers went to an area in South Los Angeles west of Watts, after residents reported an armed man standing near an intersection with a toddler and behaving erratically and aggressively.
There were three exchanges of gunfire between police and Lemos, who was about 35, McDonnell told reporters. In the final exchange, at around 6.20pm (0820 Monday AEST), Lemos held the girl as he shot.
"We did everything we could to hold our fire," McDonnell said.
At one point, Lemos retreated into an apartment building, where police said he held the girl hostage.
Police called in a SWAT team and tried to speak with the man. When they at one point tried to help a neighbour escape the area, he fired at them and they fired back, McDonnell said.
Under police regulations, officers may only fire "when it reasonably appears necessary" to protect themselves or others from death or serious injury.
The man had a 9mm handgun and a shotgun and was intoxicated on drugs and alcohol, police said.
July 12, 2005 - 5:44AM
A toddler was shot and killed when her father used her as a human shield in a gunbattle with Los Angeles police.
The man also died and a police officer was wounded in the hours-long standoff, officials said.
The man was identified as Jose Raul Lemos, and the girl, about 17 months old, was his daughter, police said.
The officer, who was not immediately identified, was shot in the shoulder and was expected to recover.
"He was using the baby as a shield," Assistant Police Chief Jim McDonnell said.
"We showed a tremendous amount of restraint, but unfortunately the suspect's actions dictated this," he said.
"It's a true tragedy."
The child's mother, Lorena Lopez, said she pleaded with officers to hold their fire.
"He had problems with depression, his business was not doing well," Lopez told KNBC-TV.
"I told them that he needed help, he needs a psychologist, but please don't shoot. They didn't understand, and the police fired, like, 300 shots."
It was unclear who fired the shot that hit the girl, but officers were struggling with the thought that they killed a baby, McDonnell said.
"The officers are taking it very hard," he said.
"Anytime you have a baby killed, it takes its toll."
The standoff began at around 3.50pm (0550 Monday AEST) when officers went to an area in South Los Angeles west of Watts, after residents reported an armed man standing near an intersection with a toddler and behaving erratically and aggressively.
There were three exchanges of gunfire between police and Lemos, who was about 35, McDonnell told reporters. In the final exchange, at around 6.20pm (0820 Monday AEST), Lemos held the girl as he shot.
"We did everything we could to hold our fire," McDonnell said.
At one point, Lemos retreated into an apartment building, where police said he held the girl hostage.
Police called in a SWAT team and tried to speak with the man. When they at one point tried to help a neighbour escape the area, he fired at them and they fired back, McDonnell said.
Under police regulations, officers may only fire "when it reasonably appears necessary" to protect themselves or others from death or serious injury.
The man had a 9mm handgun and a shotgun and was intoxicated on drugs and alcohol, police said.
It's just too sad.
You can't blame the police for shooting back after one of their own had been hit.
