Police Lill Man Who Took Baby Hostage, Threatened To Kill Him With Knife

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) _ A police officer shot and killed a man who took his girlfriend's infant son hostage and threatened to kill him with a knife, authorities said. <br/><br/>Jesse Lee Johnson

Saturday, April 21st 2007, 2:20 pm

By: News On 6

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) _ A police officer shot and killed a man who took his girlfriend's infant son hostage and threatened to kill him with a knife, authorities said.

Jesse Lee Johnson told officers surrounding the home Friday in this town near the California state line that he was drunk, high on methamphetamine and ready to kill the 11-month-old boy.

The officer shot him in the head after the man walked outside the home holding a knife to the baby's throat, said Klamath County District Attorney Ed Caleb.

Johnson, 27, died at a hospital. The baby was not hurt, Caleb said.

The name of the officer was not immediately released.

Police said Johnson was acting erratically when he grabbed the baby, and that negotiations with him lasted about 30 minutes before the shooting.

It was not immediately clear if others were in the house.