3-year-old boy dead after hostage situation ends in officer-involved shooting, police say – KBTX News 3
PRINCETON, Ill. (KWQC/Gray News) — A 3-year-old boy died following a hostage situation that ended in an officer-involved shooting at a mobile home in Illinois.
Illinois State Police responded to a domestic disturbance at 2:42 a.m. Sunday, according to a news release.
Police said a man, later identified as 42-year-old Anthony Daniel Rodriguez, was armed with a knife and barricaded in a room, holding several people hostage, including children.
After failed attempts to get Rodriguez to leave the room, police said officers heard screaming, leading them to believe danger was imminent.
Officials said officers fired shots as they entered the home.
Police said Rodriguez and a child were hit by gunfire.
The child was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police said Rodriguez was taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds.
The child’s mother, Aurora Almanza, said she witnessed her son getting shot.
“He had a beautiful personality,” Almanza said. “He’s always running around in a diaper. He’s always saying hi and bye to everybody. He opens and closes the door. He says thank you. He was so polite.”
Almanza said she and Rodriguez have been in an on-and-off relationship for the past five years.
“He was around my kids. Never once in my life did I ever, ever think he was capable of doing anything like this — ever,” Almanza said.
She said she does not understand why Rodriguez did what he did.
“I know my baby didn’t die for nothing. I know God has his purpose,” Almanza said.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family offset funeral expenses.
Rodriguez is charged with aggravated unlawful restraint, aggravated assault and domestic battery.
He was booked into the County Jail Bureau on Monday night.
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