The domestic fight that resulted in one woman’s death, the suspect’s attempted suicide, and two children in an unnamed “safe place” has received fresh information from Sioux Falls police.
On Wednesday morning, a resident of the apartment dialed 911. According to police spokesman Sam Clemens, the operator overheard yelling before the connection was cut off. Officers were advised that the unit in the 3600 block of South Willow Avenue had a “unknown problem.”
According to Clemens, when the officer knocked on the front door, a five-year-old child answered and informed the police that the father had injured the wife. When the police entered the flat, they observed the suspect enter a room. The guy was pointing a gun at the officers when they turned the corner to approach him. The moment the officers turned to go, they grabbed the young child. The cops heard gunfire as they left the residence.
The 26-year-old victim, Brianna Mattix Hatch, was shot either before the responding cops arrived or while they were there, according to the authorities, but they do know that she was there when they entered the apartment. The reason of her death will be established by the police after the autopsy results are made public.
Informing inhabitants to leave the building because, in Clemens’ words, “Walls don’t mean much to bullets in an apartment,” the officers requested reinforcements. Numerous law enforcement officials intervened, including police, sheriffs, SWAT teams from both the police and the sheriff, mediators, game fish and park, and highway patrol.
Clemens wanted to explain what happened when the 32-year-old suspect tried to commit suicide. Clemens claimed that while the SWAT team members were in the hallway, they could hear the suspect screaming for a while. After that, it got silent, and then, just as they were about to enter and locate the suspect, a single shot could be heard. The suspect is currently receiving treatment in the hospital after suffering fatal injuries.
After they had already left, the police discovered that an additional child, age 8, was still present in the flat. Officer Clemens claims that due to a state statute governing custody of children, cops are unable to discuss what happened to the kids, but they can certify that they are in a “safe place.”
