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Chilling body camera footage captures the moment a Missouri mom holding her baby lunges with a huge kitchen knife at cops who then shoot them both de@d.
The newly released footage shows officers, who were called to a reported family assault, initially talking calmly to mom Maria Pike, 34, as she holds her 2-month-old daughter Destinii Hope while standing inside a closet at her home.
Although the body cam footage shows very few words exchanged, the officers repeatedly asked the visibly upset mom to put down her baby, the Independence Police Department (IDP) said.
“The repeated attempts failed, and she exited the closet, walked past the officers, and sat on the bed next to the nightstand,” the department stated.
Pike’s husband, who is Destinii’s father, is seen sitting shirtless on the bed as officers continue to talk to the mom, who is still clutching her baby.
Eleven minutes into the footage, Pike can be seen suddenly grabbing a large knife from a bedside table and lunging toward an officer.
“Woah!” gasps a male cop she initially threatens, before the mom turns to the officer whose camera caught the horror, holding the knife over her head, with her baby still in front of her.
“She retrieved the concealed large kitchen-style knife and charged at officers, while still holding the child,” the police department wrote. “As a result, one officer fired at the female and both she and the infant sustained fatal injuries.”
Police have not identified the officer responsible in the fatal shooting, nor have they shared any details about what happened after the video freezes.
The three officers involved have since been placed on administrative leave.
“The Independence Police Department has been and will continue to be as transparent as legally permitted,” the department said. “IPD fully understands the demand surrounding the events of that day and we will continue to fully cooperate with the outside investigation being conducted by the Police Involved Investigation Team”
The department said it would not provide additional information about the incident until the investigation concludes.
Watch the videos below.
#MO
“The Independence Police Department released some [highly edited] body camera footage and context of what they say led up to a deadly police shooting earlier this month.Maria Pike, 34, and her 2-month-old daughter Destinii, died in the shooting on November 7.” pic.twitter.com/SoDch6VFqt
— Shane B. Murphy (@shanermurph) November 28, 2024
⚠️ Maria Pike from Missouri, 34, and her 2-month-old baby were shot by cops after she allegedly rushed them with a knife. The officers are on leave. pic.twitter.com/sUSTE1X84t
— The dude (@Saythedude) November 28, 2024
