Police Officer Acts As Human Shield To Protect Mother, Children, During Standoff With Deranged Father

Kyle Lambrose shot himself in front of his wife and three children as a police officer attempted a rescue. Lambrose was holding his family hostage in their West Jordan, Utah, home when Police Sergeant Mitch Soper attempted to rescue the family through an upstairs bedroom window. As the officer ushered the children towards the window, Lambrose came down the hall and drew his weapon. Soper acted as a human shield to protect the mother and her young children, all under the age of 10, before firing a single shot at Lambrose. However, as the officer fired towards the deranged father, the man committed suicide as his family looked on in horror.

The Daily Mail reports that 27-year-old Kyle Lambrose was not killed by a police officer as was originally reported. Instead, an autopsy revealed the father-of-three died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Kyle’s wife, Andrea, says that she rushed home after her husband pulled her three children out of school early. She says the action was uncharacteristic of her husband and so as she made her way to the home she called police. Upon Andrea’s arrival to the house, Kyle barricaded the family inside and setup a series of “obstacles” designed to keep officers from entering the home. Additionally, Andrea says Kyle setup weapons and ammunition stockpiles across the house in preparation of a gunfight with officers.

Prior to the hostage situation, police had never been called to the Lambrose home. Andrea says there is no history of domestic violence. However, police say Lambrose had a strong distrust of police and believed “with the recent media attention to shootings… that police were not being held accountable.”

According to the Desert News, officer Mitch Soper first tried to reason with Lambrose before attempting the rescue. Police recordings capture Soper telling Lambrose that everyone has a bad day and that officers don’t want him to get hurt.

“You’re having a bad day, we all have those. Your kids need you. We want to give you the help that you need. We don’t want you to get hurt.”

Despite the officer’s pleas, Lambrose refused to let his wife and three young children leave the home. Soper then decided to attempt a rescue through an upstairs bedroom window. However, Soper notes that as he approached the window he saw Lambrose coming around the corner with a handgun. He quickly busted in the screen and jumped between Lambrose and the family in a bid to provide a human shield as the children escaped. However, the officer says Lambrose began to draw his gun. As officer Soper fired a shot towards Lambrose, he heard a shot coming from the father’s direction. Lambrose had shot himself as his wife and children looked on from the window.

An autopsy revealed that Lambrose died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, not the shot fired by officer Soper. What do you think of the police officer’s heroic efforts to save the young family?

[Image Credit: Lambrose Family GoFundMe]