NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A 13-year-old boy underwent surgery Tuesday after he was shot while attempting to carjack two people in North Miami Beach, police said.
The incident was reported about 12:15 a.m. in the 15900 block of Northeast 16th Ave.
According to an incident report, the victims were stopped at a red light at Northeast 159th Street when they saw four black males near their car.
Police said the driver, Yazmina Mora, 28, asked her passenger, Paul Clarke, 25, what the people were doing, to which he replied, "I don't know."
According to the report, the teen began to approach the car with his hands to his chest. Clarke said he spotted what he believed was a black revolver in the teen's hands, so he grabbed his own gun from his right front pocket and fired two shots out the window.
"He was afraid for his life and was protecting himself and his girlfriend," Detective Cora Mann said.
Police said the teen was shot once in the upper right abdomen area.
Detectives said Mora drove forward to distance herself from the group who ran off after the shooting, leaving the teen on the ground.
She then called 911, made a U-turn and parked her car a short distance away while waiting for police to arrive.
The alleged thief, who police said is a runaway, was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he underwent surgery. He is expected to survive.
Police said the boy will be charged with attempted carjacking.
No other injuries were reported.
Police are still searching for the three other males involved in the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward if their information leads to an arrest.