LAKELAND, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff's Office and Lakeland Police Department are investigating a shooting incident that left both an officer and a juvenile hurt.

It happened Wednesday evening just after 5:15 p.m. near 10th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.

What You Need To Know

  • Authorities investigating a Lakeland shooting incident that left a police officer and teen suspect injured

  • Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor said a 13-year-old boy fired shots at police

  • Officer, teen both expected to recover

  • WATCH: Lakeland Police Department news conference on shooting

Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor said a 13-year-old boy fired shots at police that were pursuing him on foot in the Carrington Place Apartments.

The chase initially started from a traffic stop, authorities said.

The teen is being treated at Tampa General Hospital.

"He's 13 years old. Unbelievable," Taylor said. "What are we doing? A 13-year-old who has an arrest history ... but also has the fortitude and the anger inside of him to turn around and point a handgun at a police officer and not only point that handgun but take a shot at a police officer."

He said the officer, Jamie Smith, was shot in the foot. Smith has been with the Lakeland Police Department for about two years. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Sheriff Grady Judd said his department, along with the Lakeland, Auburndale and Haines City police departments, are involved with the investigation.

"It doesn't make any difference to us how old you are," Judd said. "If you're old enough to hold a gun and point it at a cop, you're old enough to be shot and put in prison for a long time."

Judd said surveillance video in the Carrington Place Apartments showed the teen emerging from around the corner of a building in the apartment complex and firing shots. 

Police said the foot chase began after officers stopped a car the boy and two others were riding in matched the description of a car involved in a shots fired case near Simpson Park.

"This investigation could have been solved by Helen Keller without any video," Judd said. "We had a police officer right there that saw it all, we had backup officers that saw it all, that also engaged in the firefight. This is a slam dunk case by any stretch of the imagination. With cameras, without cameras, with your eyes closed, with your eyes open."

Judd said he will push for the teen, whose condition remains unknown though he is expected to recover, to be charged as an adult.