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.
The incident, which rattled the gated community, has neighbors seriously reevaluating their sense of security. "I let my kids go outside and play consistently just around the cul-de-sac, but that will be changing," Jordan Smith mentioned to azfamily.com, living just feet away from where the shooting took place. Smith, who has four kids of various ages, is not the only one alarmed. Hannah Schneidmiller noticed Cardon's erratic behavior earlier, saying, "He was kind of waving his hands, mumbling like asking us to help him, and we kind of just kept driving slowly." She later saw him collapsed, uncertain if he was drunk or dehydrated.
This tragedy marks the 12th officer-involved shooting in the Valley and the 32nd in Arizona for the year. The Glendale Police Department has been tasked with the investigation, as reported by azfamily.com. Meanwhile, a sign was left near the scene by residents showing support, reading, "We're glad you're safe."
