CLEVELAND — A "juvenile suspect" who police say was involved in a string of car break-ins was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after being shot by a Cleveland police officer early Saturday morning.
The Cleveland Division of Police said in a press release that the suspect was shot after driving toward officers in an allegedly stolen car near East 146th Street just after 4 a.m. Police later confirmed the suspect is a 14-year-old boy. He was treated for his injuries and released from a Cleveland children's hospital, police said.
The shooting came hours after Cleveland police officers began investigating over 30 "fresh car break-ins" in Cleveland's midtown neighborhood.
While investigating the break-ins, officers identified "at least two" suspects who they described as "juveniles" who had previously been arrested for multiple car break-ins. The suspects had cut off ankle monitors they were supposed to be wearing, according to police. Police said video evidence showed at least one of the youths was armed with a handgun.
Just after 2 a.m. Saturday, detectives checked a vacant home in the 800 block of East 146th Street and found the suspect vehicle parked in the driveway with three people inside.
"Detectives attempted to make contact with the occupants of the vehicle, as they were exiting the vehicle, seeing the officers, the occupants returned to the vehicle and fled through an adjacent yard," police said in the press release.
The suspects allegedly drove off in a White Kia Sportage that police say was recently reported as stolen and evaded officers going west on St. Clair Avenue.
The Kia returned to the driveway on East 146th Street at around 3:21 a.m. Detectives, who had continued patrolling the area, "set up a perimeter and requested assistance from a marked zone car to attempt to make contact with the occupant(s) of the vehicle," police said.
Police approached the Kia just after 4 a.m. and found the 14-year-old "sleeping or unconscious in the driver's seat." After an officer began to give commands to the teen, police say the he woke up and put the car in drive, hitting the police car.
According to police, the teen tried to push the police car, reversed into a garage, and then put the car back in drive before driving toward officers. That's when a Cleveland police officer fired at the suspect, hitting him once in the right shoulder.
Police removed the youth from the car and rendered first aid before EMS personnel transported him to the hospital.
The police department said a firearm was recovered from inside the Kia.
3News has reached out to the Cleveland Division of Police for more information about the incident and the suspect involved.
The officer who shot the suspect will be placed on administrative leave, per department policy, as the shooting is investigated by the Cleveland Division of Police Use of Force Investigation Team.
