HAINES CITY, Fla. — An officer-involved shooting on U.S. Highway 27 near Interstate 4 in Haines City has sparked an investigation by the 10th Judicial Circuit Officer Involved Deadly Incident Task Force.
Haines City Police Department Chief Greg Goreck said in a press conference that the shooting happened near Highway 27 in Davenport.
An officer located a stolen vehicle around 7 p.m. and initiated a pursuit in which the suspect sped away.
"It is very important to understand at this point, the people driving that vehicle could have ended this and stopped this by pulling over and doing the right thing," Goreck said. "They chose instead to flee.”
The pursuit entered a residential area, where officers backed off, but the suspects re-appeared on U.S. 27 and ran over stop sticks laid out by the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Officers initiated the pursuit again. During the chase, the suspect hit at least two other vehicles and reached speeds of 100 miles per hour.
The pursuit came to a stop after a PIT maneuver.
Goreck said the officer then shot toward the passenger and driver of the car after the passenger allegedly pulled a gun.
"During that encounter, my officer was forced to engage in a deadly encounter with the suspect and had to fire his firearms, " Goreck said.
The 17-year-old passenger in the vehicle was taken to a local hospital and arrested. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the suspect is listed in critical condition.
The 19-year-old driver, Victor Espinoza-Rodriguez, was also arrested.
All officers involved are safe.
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