MIAMI – A 15-year-old shot by a Miami-Dade police officer is hospitalized in critical condition.

The teen was shot Sunday after trying to flee from police.

“Once they activated their emergency lights, the vehicle immediately fled and soon thereafter lost control and crashed into a fence,” said Miami-Dade police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta.

Police said after the vehicle crashed near NW 56 Street and NW 22 Avenue, its occupants tried to escape on foot.

Among them was the 15-year-old who had been driving the car. Officers were able to catch up to him.

“The detective confronted the subject, the subject was armed, shots were fired, the subject was struck and he was transported to the Ryder Trauma Center,” said Zabaleta.

Police said the teen, who was armed, had a warrant out for his arrest.

“He had an active warrant for possession of a firearm and an occupied burglary. Once the detectives returned to the vehicle they were able to see in plain sight that there was an assault rifle inside the vehicle,” said Zabaleta.

In addition to the assault rifle, police said another weapon was found on the scene

“(It) could have very easily been a tragedy for the law enforcement family as these individuals were driving around, one a 15-year-old driving a car, secondly a 15-year-old armed with a handgun, an assault rifle inside that vehicle, wanted for possession of a firearm, these are individuals who clearly are up to no good,” said Zabaleta.

The officer involved in the shooting has been with the department for 29 years. Police are still looking for the other occupants of the car that got away.