Florida officer,13-year-old suspect both shot during foot pursuit, ensuing ‘gun battle

3 year old shot Lakeland FL police officer Officer was chasing him through an apartment complex That officer is recovering in the hospital.

A 13-year-old suspect wounded a police officer in Florida during a foot pursuit on Wednesday before getting shot several times in a “gun battle” with responding officers, authorities said.

The pursuit began around 5:15 p.m., when Officer Jamie Smith heard gunfire from a drive-by shooting at Simpson Park while investigating a separate call in the area, Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor told reporters at the scene.

Smith spotted the suspects’ vehicle, a Dodge Avenger, and tried to pull it over. The driver, however, refused to stop and led Smith to an apartment complex on 10th Street, where three suspects exited the vehicle and fled, police said.

Smith chose to chase after the 13-year-old after seeing that he was carrying a handgun, Taylor said. The officer repeatedly commanded the teen to drop the gun, an order Taylor said the teen ignored.