MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A 29-year veteran Miami-Dade Police Department sergeant shot a 15-year-old after a chase and confrontation Sunday morning, police said.
The teen, who detectives said was armed and wanted on weapons and burglary charges, is hospitalized in critical condition.
Officers say the driver of a black Dodge Challenger refused to pull over for a traffic stop around 12:45 a.m.
He lead officers on a brief chase, and ran off after crashing into a fence near Northwest 56th Street and 22nd Avenue, investigators said.
BREAKING: @MiamiDadePD on-scene after officer shot a 15-year-old driver following a chase and crash in NW Dade overnight. Detectives say teen was armed w/ handgun and was wanted on weapons and burglary charges. Teen taken to hospital in critical condition. Updates on @WPLGLocal10 pic.twitter.com/IjCWxnrURR
— Trent Kelly (@TrentKellyWPLG) January 16, 2022
Miami-Dade Police claim the sergeant was forced to fire after a confrontation with the teen, who was later transported to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
The sergeant was not injured. Investigators did not say how many rounds he fired.
Officers say they found two handguns and an assault rifle in the car the teen was driving.
“Tonight could have very easily been a tragic night for the law enforcement family as these individuals were driving around,” said Miami-Dade Police Det. Alvaro Zabaleta. “For one, a 15-year-old driving a car, and secondly, a 15-year-old armed with a handgun and assault rifle inside of that vehicle, [who was] wanted for possession of firearms. These are individuals that clearly are up to no good.”
Police have not identified the sergeant who opened fire or announced additional charges against the suspect.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating, which is standard procedure for any police-involved shooting.
“For one, a 15-year-old driving a car, and secondly, a 15-year-old armed with a handgun and assault rifle inside of that vehicle, [who was] wanted for possession of firearms,” Zabaleta said. “These are individuals that clearly are up to no good.”