A Peoria police officer shot and killed a man who tried to kidnap a woman and her baby last Thursday evening, a disturbing confrontation that escalated quickly and left a community on edge. The suspect, identified as 43-year-old Matthew Paul Cardon, approached a woman as she was pushing her stroller in a neighborhood near 87th and Pershing avenues, attempting to kidnap her, Peoria Police Department reported. According to azfamily.com, surveillance footage captured Cardon barefoot and in a blue t-shirt, trying to wave down the woman who declined and kept walking.
The situation unfolded with the woman on FaceTime with her husband, who quickly came to her aid after hearing her screams—ones that were captured by home surveillance video. Homeowner’s cameras, while not directly showing the altercation, later showed Cardon running down a nearby cul-de-sac with the husband, and a neighbor gave chase. With Cardon cornered, police arrived and within seconds shots rang out, ABC15 detailed the event from witness accounts.
Details leading up to the shooting are still being investigated, especially the crucial moments right before Cardon was shot. Peoria Police Sgt. Araceli “Shelly” Montes confirmed that an altercation occurred, but it is not yet known how many shots were fired or whether Cardon was armed. “It’s unclear how many shots were fired or what happened right before the shooting,” Sgt. Montes said to azfamily.com. The officer involved was taken to the hospital as a precaution and the woman and baby were unharmed…