Graziano Family, Laying Down

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KTLA

Police now uncertain if girl killed in Hesperia shootout was ever abducted

by: Associated Press
Posted: Sep 29, 2022 / 06:42 AM PDT
Updated: Sep 29, 2022 / 08:35 AM PDT
Link:- Link

A Southern California man suspected of killing his estranged wife and abducting their 15-year-old daughter had been living with the teenager out of his pickup truck and hotels for weeks before the violence, authorities said Wednesday.

Anthony John Graziano and his daughter, Savannah Graziano, were killed Tuesday in a shootout with law enforcement on a highway in the high desert east of Los Angeles after a 45-mile (72-kilometer) chase. Shots were fired at the officers from the pickup truck as it was being chased.

Once it came to a stop, the girl, wearing a tactical helmet and vest, got out and ran toward deputies amid a hail of gunfire, police said, Authorities are investigating whether she was shot by deputies or her father, or both.

Police have said the only weapon retrieved at the scene was a rifle in the truck, where Anthony Graziano died. There is police video of the shootout that authorities are reviewing.

The California Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it is investigating the shooting. A state law that took effect last year requires the department to review any officer-involved shooting resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian.

While many questions remain regarding Tuesday’s gunbattle, police in Fontana – where Graziano’s wife, Tracy Martinez, was killed Monday – offered some details about the family’s life before the bloodshed.

Anthony Graziano had moved out of the family’s home a month or two before the killing, as the couple went through a divorce, Fontana Sgt. Christian Surgent told The Associated Press. Savannah Graziano left with her father, while her younger brother stayed with their mother.

Police issued an Amber Alert after Martinez’s killing, saying Savannah Graziano had been abducted by her father. Now, detectives are trying to determine whether or not she was forced into leaving Fontana.

“Did she go willingly?” Surgent said. “Or was she actually abducted? We haven’t been able to prove that just yet.”

Fontana police had not received any reports of domestic violence at the home before this week, Surgent said, and child services had not been involved with the family. Neither parent was on probation or parole at the time and investigators believe Savannah was being home-schooled while she lived with her father, who police said liked to camp out in the desert and mountains in his pickup truck.

On Monday, witnesses saw Martinez walking in Fontana when Graziano picked her up in his truck. Surgent said it was not clear whether she was forced into the vehicle or got in on her own.

“And immediately that’s when they started arguing and yelling and domestic violence was occurring,” he said.

Martinez got out of the truck and Graziano opened fire with a handgun, striking her multiple times, Surgent said. The shooting on the street near an elementary school during morning drop-off forced students and parents to duck for cover.

Graziano fled and drove to get Savannah, who likely was wherever they had been staying that day, Surgent said. The son was at the family’s home at the time and was not involved.

The next day, a 911 caller reported seeing the suspect’s Nissan Frontier around Barstow, nearly 70 miles (112 kilometers) north of Fontana.

Law enforcement located the pickup truck and chased it on the highway to Hesperia. Throughout the pursuit, Graziano was “constantly shooting back at the deputies” with a rifle through the truck’s rear window, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said Tuesday during a news conference.

Dicus said there were “some indications” Savannah was shooting at deputies during the chase but didn’t provide any details.

A firefight in Hesperia ensued when the truck went off-road and somehow became disabled, with dozens of bullets flying. Savannah ran toward deputies — who did not realize it was her — in the chaos and went down amid the gunfire. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly before noon.

Her father was found in the driver’s seat and pronounced dead at the scene.

The Sheriff’s Department declined to release any additional information Wednesday.

Videos

Pre-Incident

KTLA 5

  1. Video captures moments just before Fontana killing that led to fatal Hesperia shootout
    • Profile
      • As more details continue to emerge about the fatal shooting of a father and daughter by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputies, new surveillance video footage shows the fatal shooting of the mother one day before, the violence that started the search that ended in a hail of gunfire in Hesperia.
      • Shelby Nelson reports for the KTLA 5 News at 10 on Sept. 30, 2022.
    • Videos
      • Video #1
        Channel:- KTLA 5
        Date Published:- 2022-September-30th
        Date Added:- 2022-October-1st
        Link

Incident

Fox 11 Los Angeles

  1. Father, teenage daughter killed during shootout with law enforcement in Hesperia
    • Profile
      • A California teen at the center of an Amber Alert has died after she was caught in a shootout between the suspect and law enforcement.
    • Videos
      • Video #1
        Channel:- Fox 11 Los Angeles
        Date Published:- 2022-September-27th
        Date Added:- 2022-September-29th
        Link

CBS Los Angeles

  1. Law enforcement response questioned after father, kidnapped daughter killed during freeway shootout
    • Profile
      • Nicole Comstock provides continued coverage on the wild events revolving around a fatal shooting and kidnapping in Fontana on Monday.
      • After a lengthy pursuit, authorities fatally shot the suspect, Nicholas Graziano, and his 15-year-old daughter, who was reportedly wearing tactical gear.
      • Now, many are left with questions regarding the response tactics from San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies.
    • Videos
      • Video #1
        Channel:- CBS Los Angeles
        Date Published:- 2022-September-27th
        Date Added:- 2022-September-29th
        Link
  2. Father, teenage daughter killed during shootout with law enforcement in Hesperia
    • Profile
      • Michele Gile provides the latest on a wild series of events in Hesperia, where kidnapping suspect Anthony Graziano and his daughter were fatally shot during a shootout with law enforcement on Tuesday.
      • According to sheriff’s deputies, the girl was wearing tactical gear and ran towards them when she was struck by gunfire.
    • Videos
      • Video #1
        Channel:- CBS Los Angeles
        Date Published:- 2022-September-27th
        Date Added:- 2022-September-29th
        Link

ABC7

  1. Murder suspect, his teen daughter killed in Hesperia shootout | ABC7
    • Profile
      • An abducted 15-year-old girl and her father — a fugitive wanted in the death of the teen’s mother — were killed amid a shootout with law enforcement on the 15 Freeway in Hesperia, authorities said.
    • Videos
      • Video #1
        Channel:- ABC7
        Date Published:- 2022-September-27th
        Date Added:- 2022-September-29th
        Link

Incident – Law Enforcement – News Conference

CBS Los Angeles

  1. Authorities reveal that kidnapping suspect, teenage daughter were fatally shot during fire fight in
    • Profile
      • Anthony Graziano, the man who fatally shot his wife and allegedly kidnapped his teenage daughter Monday, was killed Tuesday during a shootout with law enforcement.
      • According to deputies, the teenage girl, reportedly wearing tactical gear and possibly firing at authorities, was also killed during the incident.
    • Videos
      • Video #1
        Channel:- CBS Los Angeles
        Date Published:- 2022-September-27th
        Date Added:- 2022-September-29th
        Link

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