Police: Barricaded man sicced pit bulls on mother of his child

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Tense moments on Detroit's west side but it ends with a man under arrest and an infant carried out of a home in the arms of a police officer.

It was about 5:30 a.m. Friday when neighbors say they heard gunfire on Lenore Street. Police say a woman was dropping her baby boy off at his father's house when the trouble began.

"A male and female had an argument," said Capt. Kurt Worboys, DPD. "The male pulled out a weapon and fired some shots outside up in the air."

The suspect's mother claims the woman inside was in a jealous rage.

"My son had girlfriend over, she got mad (and) attacked him," she said. "He went and got his baby. She attacked him with the baby in his hands, the dogs got revved up because they were on the side, they broke the chain and got loose and one must have bit her."

But the police investigation paints a different story.

"The male did not want to give baby to the mother," Worboys said. "He then sicced his pit bulls on her, injuring her, biting her chest and shoulder."

The woman went to a local hospital for treatment and that's when police were called to the house.

But instead of cooperating with investigators, police say the man who has a criminal past, barricaded himself inside the home and refused to come outside with the baby.

Investigators worked to get him to surrender.

"The mother of the suspect came out the front door and asked why are we in the yard and banging on her door," Worboys said. "She let us in. The suspect gave up willingly. (There were) no injuries and he was taken into custody at that time."

The baby was safely removed from the house and Animal Control officials also removed two pit bulls that neighbors say often get loose and roam the block.

Investigators say they are still searching for the handgun but the suspect faces numerous charges including assault with intent to commit murder and felony firearm

But the mom still maintains her son's innocence

"Completely innocent, defending his child," she said. "She came here starting trouble cause my son had a date over. They are not a couple. Once she realizes that the better off she'll be."