Lakeland Police Officer, 13-Year-Old Shot During Gun Battle

LAKELAND, FL — A 13-year-old Lakeland boy is recovering at Tampa General Hospital after shooting a Lakeland police officer and then getting shot by the officer.

According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, on Wednesday at 5:16 p.m., a Lakeland Police Officer Jamie Smith was on another call when he heard gunshots in the area. He drove in the direction of the gunfire and saw a youngster with a gun who got into a car with two other people in the 1600 block of Kettles Avenue.

Smith was pursuing the car when the three occupants got out and abandoned the car with the engine still running. They then scattered on foot in different directions.

Smith pursued the teen, who was carrying a Taurus 9 mm semi-automatic gun. The teen, who is 13 years old, ran down a sidewalk and around a building, then suddenly turned around and shot three times at Smith, hitting him once in the foot.

The 13-year-old then fled again, running around the corner of a building at Carrington Place Apartments and hiding behind a bush and then jumping out and confronting Smith, who ordered him to drop his gun. When he refused, Smith shot the teen in the leg, left thigh and stomach.

During a news conference Thursday morning, Judd said investigators learned that the 13-year-old and a 14-year-old were in a car driven by 19-year-old Jermaine Julian.

He said the three, all with gang affiliations, were cruising around, smoking pot and looking for rival gang members.

The two minors were both armed with Taurus 9 mm semi-automatic handguns stolen during a series of car burglaries they committed.

"They were looking for someone to kill, and they began shooting in the direction of someone," Judd said. "We have no idea who they were shooting at because no one reported it to us."

That's when Smith and other officers responded to a report of a shooting in the area.

Judd said the two minors were on probation after being arrested for burglarizing cars and Julian was on probation after six felony arrests.

Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor called Smith's actions "nothing short of heroic." Despite being shot, he continued to pursue the shooter

"I can't be more complimentary of how the officer reacted last night," said Taylor. "He reacted just as he was trained."

Smith is expected to be released from Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center Thursday.