Video After The Jump
LAKELAND, Fla. (Fox13) - Polk County investigators identified the 13-year-old who fired a round at a Lakeland officer, striking him in the foot. Other officers shot at the teen, sending him to the hospital.
During a press conference Thursday, Sheriff Grady Judd also named a 14-year-old Leonard Speight Jr. &19-year-old Jermaine Julian, saying they were with13-year-old Wesley Dalmas & tried to flee from police. Investigators said Julian is in a gang, while the Dalmas & Speight are "gang affiliated."
"I don’t care that chronologically they are 14, 13, or 19. They were looking for someone to kill. I am sick to my stomach of them going, ‘Oh, did you know his age?’ It doesn’t make a difference," he said. "If you’re old enough to hold a gun & point it at a cop & pull the trigger, you’re old enough to be shot or to go to jail."
Officer Jamie Smith is continuing to recover at the hospital.
Investigators said it all started with a shooting a few blocks away.
Smith heard a shot fired while he was investigating a separate call in the area. Cops believe the trio of suspects was involved & searching for an "opp."
Officer Smith was able to find & pursue the suspect's vehicle. The chase eventually ended near an apartment complex.
The officer saw 1 of the 3 people inside the vehicle – later identified as Dalmas – was carrying a handgun & pursued him on foot. Smith commanded the suspect to drop the gun, but he didn't.
That's when the teen rounded the corner of the building & crouched down – waiting for the officer. Once Smith was near, the suspect fired at least 1 shot, striking him in the foot.
Smith continued to pursue the suspect & eventually lost sight of him. More officers arrived at the complex, passing by bushes that are close to the building where the suspect was hiding.
That's when the Dalmas jumped out of the bushes & began fleeing & engaging in another "gun battle" with officers. The teen was shot several times. He was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
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