INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — The Indian River County Sheriff's Office said a deputy was forced to shoot a 16-year-old boy three times early Wednesday when the teen reached for a gun during a confrontation with the deputy.
The sheriff's office said the deputy was patrolling the 2100 block of 16th Avenue SW around 1 a.m., which is an area that's seen several recent car burglaries.
The deputy came upon three people, including the 16-year-old, who had "what appeared to be a firearm protruding from his right pants pocket," investigators said.
According to the sheriff's office, the teen reached for the gun, and the deputy shot him three times.
After being hit in the shoulder, arm and abdomen, the 16-year-old ran away, but was eventually taken into custody by the deputy.
"The subject ran away after being shot and then our deputy was able to get a hold of him," said Lt. Thomas Raulen with the Indian River County Sheriff's Office. "[The deputy] immediately rendered first aid and we had an ambulance inn route within a minute of the initial encounter."
Investigators said the teen was taken to Lawnwood Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, and the deputy was not hurt.
According to the sheriff's office, "when asked by our deputy why he reached for the gun, [the 16-year-old] stated words to the effect of, 'I was just trying to hide it from you.'"
Charges are pending against the teen, who has several prior felony arrests in Indian River County for burglary and grand theft.
The deputy is on paid administrative leave, which is standard in cases where a deputy discharges his or her weapon.
