Missouri Police Fatally Shoot Mother and Infant After She Allegedly Lunges with Knife

Bodycam footage shows Maria Pike holding her baby and brandishing a knife before being shot by officers responding to a domestic disturbance call.

Maria Pike, 34, and her 2-month-old daughter Destinii Hope were fatally shot by police in Independence, Missouri, during a response to a reported family assault on November 7.
Body camera footage released by police shows Pike holding her baby while allegedly retrieving a large kitchen knife and charging at officers with it raised over her head.
Police stated that repeated attempts to de-escalate the situation and convince Pike to put down her baby were unsuccessful before the fatal shooting occurred.
The footage, edited and released by the Independence Police Department, does not show the actual shooting or the moments immediately preceding it, raising questions about transparency.
The three officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, and an external investigative team is reviewing the incident, as Pike's family questions the use of lethal force.