LAKELAND, Fla. -- Lakeland police are investigating an officer-involved shooting.
- Lakeland officer shoots armed carjacking suspect
- Suspect shot in lower leg, in custody
- Officer suffered minor injuries to arm, forehead
According to Lakeland Police Chief Larry Giddens, the officer suffered minor injuries during the incident.
Police said an armed carjacking suspect was shot just before 1 a.m. at Providence Road and Interstate Drive.
The suspect is being treated at an area hospital.
Giddens said the incident started with a carjacking on Lemon Street, about 10 miles away. The victim was reportedly there to pick up his barber for a haircut when he was confronted by the carjacker.
Police had a description of the suspect and the car that was stolen. That vehicle was spotted by the officer, who then pursued the suspect.
As the suspect tried to drive off, the stolen vehicle became disabled in a field. The suspect then ran off with the officer pursuing him. Giddens said the suspect fired at least one shot at the officer during the foot chase.
"The suspect began firing at our officer. The officer was armed with his taser," said Giddens. "He dropped the taser and armed himself with his firearm and returned fire, striking the suspect once in the lower left leg."
Giddens said the suspect, 28-year-old Terrese Colston from Tampa, is a convicted felon.
The officer sustained minor injuries to his arm and forehead.
The incident remains under investigation.
"The courage and discipline of the officer is what protected him," Giddens said. "He used good officer tactics. This is a dangerous profession."
This was the first officer-involved shooting involving Lakeland Police in 2018. We looked into the number of officer and deputy-involved shootings involving law enforcement in surrounding areas thus far in 2018 and found the Polk County Sheriff's Office leads area agencies with five such incidents.
Tampa Police, meanwhile, have been involved in three officer-involved shootings this year, two of them fatal. Winter Haven, Clearwater and St. Petersburg have each had zero officer-involved shootings.