Attempted kidnapping suspect killed by Peoria Police, PD says

PEORIA, Ariz. – An attempted kidnapping suspect was shot and killed by Peoria Police on Thursday night, the department said.

What we know:

The police department said it happened near Thunderbird Road and 87th Avenue on June 5.

“We responded to a call shortly after 6:45 p.m. for a male subject who was allegedly attempting to take a female, kidnap the female, an adult female. She was, at the time, pushing a baby stroller with a small child in the stroller. According to witnesses, the subject attempted to take the child from the female, at which time she FaceTimed her husband. Her husband came to the scene. Apparently, the suspect was chased down the street, down 87th Lane and west Pershing Avenue. At that time, officers were responding to the call. Officers contacted the suspect, some sort of altercation took place and an officer-involved shooting occurred,” Peoria Police Sgt. Araceli Montes said.

She clarified that witnesses stated it appears the target of the kidnapping was the child in the stroller.

As for the suspect, he was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries. He was later identified as 43-year-old Matthew Cardon, a Peoria resident.

An officer was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons.

“The officer is OK,” Sgt. Montes said.

She said the suspect didn’t know the woman, saying they were strangers to each other.

The child inside the stroller is OK.

Dig deeper:

The woman’s husband and a neighbor tracked the suspect down and cornered him in a cul-de-sac until police got there, Sgt. Montes said.

She doesn’t know if they had weapons of their own.

According to investigators, Cardon suffered from mental health issues.

What we don’t know:

Peoria Police didn’t provide details on whether the suspect had a weapon.

What’s next:

The Glendale Police Department will lead the investigation into the shooting.

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