Search continues for escaped barricaded gunman accused of shooting at police

DETROIT - Detroit Police surround a home on the city’s east side, believing 25 year old Keith Montgomery was inside.

Police were called to the house at about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday for a domestic dispute.

“The run came out of shots fired - known male standing outside firing shots." said Officer Harry Taylor, Detroit Police Department Special Operations with the 11th Precinct. "My partner and I pulled up to the scene. We could hear him yelling, cussing, and fighting from when we just walked out two doors down.”

The dispute involved a woman, her current boyfriend, and her ex-boyfriend Keith Montgomery - the father of her children. Police say when they arrived, Montgomery ran upstairs.

“Officer Taylor was getting ready to go up the stairs when the male started throwing cinder blocks down the staircase. After throwing cinder blocks, he also fired approximately three to four shots,” said Office Kevin Briggs, Detroit Police Department Special Operations with the 11th Precinct.

All of this happened with Montgomery’s three small children and their mother still inside. The children are ages 1, 2, and 4.

“I asked her to get out of the house several times. ‘Hey grab your babies and get out.’ She didn’t comply at all. She was yelling and screaming you know, ‘What’s going on,’ trying the get in the way, trying to impede what we were trying to do,” said Officer Briggs.

The two officers grabbed the mother and children and removed them from the home.

“We got babies walking, literally past us. I was zero compliance. She didn’t give us any compliance,” said Officer Briggs. “I literally had to escort her and grab two of the kid’s hands and get them out the house.”

“There was a little baby that was left on the bad that obviously didn’t know what was going on. I tried to quickly grab it and exit the house,” said Officer Kevin Sheaffer, Detroit Police Department Special Operations with the 11th Precinct.

Once the children and their mother were safe, police surrounded the home. It appears Montgomery had already escaped.

“I would have bet my paycheck that he was still up there. I was convinced he was still up there. I’m pissed off and embarrassed,” said Officer Paul Kraus, Detroit Police Department Special Operations with the 11th Precinct. “It happens though.”

Montgomery’s family is also frustrated. His mother says it didn’t go down the way police are describing and her son is too afraid of the police to turn himself in.

“He’s not an angel. He’s not really a thug, but my son is not the type of child to shoot at police,” said Phyllis DeBerry, Montgomery’s mother. “These kids are too scared to even turn themselves in, or do anything. They’ve killed about 25 of them in the last year.”

“I can guarantee if he turns himself in, he will not get killed by the police today, or any day,” said Officer Kraus. “Turn yourself in.”

Keith Montgomery’s mother tells us her son is getting an attorney, and will turn himself in with the help of that lawyer. Meanwhile, police are still actively searching for him.