The Gist: A 16-year-old is in the hospital with a leg wound after police say the teen fired multiple shots at a police officer during a foot chase.
What Happened: The series of events kicked off around 6:30 a.m. when a mother called 911, concerned that her teenage son was armed and possibly using drugs. An officer was dispatched to Chase Lane. After his mother identified him in the parking lot, police say the teenager attempted to flee, leading the officer on a foot pursuit.
According to police, when the chase reached the 500 building, the teenager turned and fired multiple shots at the officer. The officer returned fire, hitting the teenager in the leg.
What’s Next: The teenager is currently in the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Criminal charges against him are forthcoming. Investigators are looking into how the teen got hold of two firearms.
⚠️ Reminder: Crime articles contain only charges and information from police reports and law enforcement statements. Suspects and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
👮♂️ Gun Crimes in Our Communities: Here are statistics from The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit meticulously tracking gun incidents.
2023 Statistics:
- Total gun-related incidents: 39,135
- Gun-related deaths (excluding suicides): 18,874
- Gun-related injuries: 36,357
- Mass shootings: 656
2022 Statistics:
- Total gun-related incidents: 42,064
- Gun-related deaths (excluding suicides): 20,200
- Gun-related injuries: 38,500
- Mass shootings: 647
While firearm deaths and injuries saw a slight decline compared to previous years, mass shootings continued to rise, with 2023 surpassing 650 incidents. This underscores the continued severity of gun violence in the U.S.
To Be Clear: These aren’t just digits on a page. Each statistic represents a life affected, a community shaken.
