Calif. police kill man after toddler beaten, killed

TURLOCK, Calif. – Police killed a 27-year-old man as he kicked, punched and stomped a toddler to death despite other people’s attempts to stop him on a dark, country road, authorities said.

Investigators on Sunday were trying to establish the relationship between the suspect and the child they say he killed Saturday night. The Stanislaus County coroner said the boy appeared to be between 1 and 2 years old, according to county sheriff’s deputy Royjindar Singh.

“It’s been a long night of wondering why – not only for the officers and the passers-by who stopped and tried to help out, but for anyone. Why would somebody do this?” Singh said.

Singh said the coroner does not plan to confirm the identities of the suspect and victim until today.

Singh said witnesses “tried to intervene and get involved, but their efforts really didn’t have an effect.”

A police officer arriving at the scene shot the man after he refused an order to stop beating the child, Singh said.