WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. (AP) — A Florida trooper was shot in the torso, and a suspect was fatally shot, during a chase and an exchange of gunfire between troopers and two men suspected of trying to steal a pickup truck on a highway, authorities said Saturday.
The two suspects had been attempting to steal the pickup truck early Saturday on Interstate 75, or items in the vehicle, when they were interrupted by a trooper and fled northbound in another truck. During the pursuit, the men fired several times at the trooper’s vehicle, hitting a tanker truck instead, the Florida Highway Patrol said in a news release.
At some point, the suspects headed in the other direction, southbound, on Interstate 75 and two other troopers joined the pursuit. One of the troopers was able to do a bump maneuver against the suspects’ trucks, bringing the chase to a halt. The suspects fled on foot into some woods, and then one of the suspects surrendered to the troopers and was taken into custody. The other suspect shot at one of the troopers, striking in the torso, and the trooper returned fire, fatally shooting the suspect, the news release said.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, and the trooper was airlifted to a nearby hospital in stable condition.
“The trooper is currently recovering from surgery and we pray for a full recovery,“ the Florida Police Benevolent Association said in a tweet on Saturday.
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