Police kill dad who was stabbing mom; 14-year-old son was one to seek help (Phoenix, Arizona)

Dad ASCENCION VILLASENOR-LOPEZ was shot and killed by police after police were called to the residence because Dad was stabbing the mother and wouldn't drop his weapon. Their 14-year-old son was apparently the one to seek help, and told the police what was going on when they arrived at the scene. Mom is in critical condition.

Do kids really need dad, any dad? Has this boy benefited in any specific way from having this particular father in his life?

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2009/08/02/20090802officerinvolved0802-ON.html

Phoenix police kill man after seeing him stab woman
by Meghan Boehnke - Aug. 2, 2009 09:38 PM
The Arizona Republic

Two Phoenix police officers shot and killed Ascencion Villasenor-Lopez, 53, after watching him stab his wife in his bedroom and then turn on them.

Carmen Beltran Villlasenor, 48, who police think is the Villasenor-Lopez's common-law wife, is in critical condition with several stab wounds to the chest, said Detective James Holmes, police spokesman.

Police arrived at the couple's home on Cochise Drive near 19th and Peoria avenues shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday. When they got to the scene the couple's 14-year-old son told officers his father was stabbing his mother inside the home.

The boy, who had a friend visiting, first asked his neighbor, 46, for help. When the neighbor went inside, the father threatened him.

Four officers entered the house tactically. They saw the man stabbing his wife, who was lying face down on the bed, and demanded he drop his weapon. When he didn't, one of the officers fired a taser at him.

The man tried to cut the probes on the taser before turning on the officer who deployed it. Two other officers then shot three to four bullets at the man, said Holmes. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are unsure what the couple was arguing about.

The two officers will be put on paid administrative leave, as with all officer involved shootings.
Reporter Megan Gordon contributed to this article.