An adult and a child were killed early Wednesday morning as state police ended a hostage standoff in the rural central Connecticut town of Plymouth.

State police spokesman Sgt. Paul Vance said an unidentified woman phoned Plymouth police shortly before 5 a.m. to report the hostage-taking.

State police and Plymouth officers responded and made visual and verbal contact with the man inside the house, Vance said. Believing the child was in immediate danger, the state police tactical unit broke into the home, he said.

“The armed suspect confronted the troopers and refused their demands to disarm himself,” Vance said. “He continued … to advance on the troopers, which caused them to discharge six non-lethal rounds at the suspect.”

The non-lethal rounds — beanbags fired from a shotgun — hit the man, but he kept on coming, Vance said.

“They were forced to use deadly force,” Vance said.

The child was found dead inside the house. Vance said the child was killed by a “cutting instrument.”

Police did not disclose the names of the victims and could not immediately confirm the relationship between the child and the man. Vance said the man had a criminal record, but could not immediately provide details.

–Associated Press