There are more details in connection to a barricade situation overnight involving the Bakersfield Police Department and a man who they say beat the mother of his child with a hammer. 23ABC's Bayan Wang has been following the incident and has more on how police say the situation escalated.
The community off of 32nd and San Dimas streets is still trying to piece together everything that happened following a 12-hour standoff. The incident all started when Bakersfield Police were responding to a home to investigate an assault when the suspect threw an explosive device at them.
"Male subject wearing a green shirt and grey pants beating a female with a hammer."
That was the call Bakersfield Police officers were responding to shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday night. According to BPD 39-year-old Eliot Davis repeatedly hit the mother of his 4-year-old child with a hammer at a residence near 32nd and San Dimas streets.
Joel Espino lives a few homes down and he said he witnessed it all.
"It was just mainly the head that he was hitting like a lot of blood was coming out. I was hoping that she made it to the hospital because if she didn't she would have died already."
The woman fled in a vehicle and admitted herself to a local hospital with moderate to major injuries.
When officers arrived on the scene, Espino said "all I saw was just a grenade thrown."
According to BPD, it was an unknown explosive device that detonated near officers but they went uninjured. Davis then ran inside with his 4-year-old child. Neighbors in nearby homes were evacuated and dozens of additional police units would respond to the scene.
Crisis negotiators made contact with Davis but he would not allow the child to leave and made comments portraying a suicide-by-police situation.
At about 4 a.m. Davis was seen with explosive devices and made comments leading officers to believe the child's life was in danger. According to BPD Sgt. Robert Pair that's when tactical units moved in.
"This forced our units to attempt to apprehend Mr. Davis as they approached him, he lit an additional explosive device. Officers were able to rescue the child and the device went off."
No officers were injured by that second explosion. The child was not injured either but was transported to the hospital for cuts on his hands.
Davis sustained some injuries following the second explosion and was taken to the hospital where he is listed in stable condition.
When he's released he is facing several charges including attempted murder, domestic violence-related charges, and possession of explosive devices.
23ABC reached out to the family but they have not responded at this time.
