VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A 14-year-old is in the hospital after a shootout with Volusia County deputies on Tuesday, according to Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood.
Chitwood addressed the public Tuesday night, saying a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old opened fire repeatedly on deputies at a home in Enterprise, Volusia County.
"This went on for hours. This wasn't a split second, we exchange gunfire. We were out here from 7:30 until 9 o'clock until we returned fire," Chitwood said.
Crews responded to the scene of the shooting incident at a property at 1050 Enterprise Osteen Road in Enterprise, officials said.
According to officials, the two juveniles broke into a house and used multiple weapons found inside to open fire on responding deputies.
According to Chitwood, around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, a 12-year-old boy had reportedly run away with a 14-year-old girl from a juvenile home for troubled children.
Deputies searched for the two children, as the 12-year-old is insulin dependent.
Each time a deputy located the children, Chitwood said they would run away.
Around 7 p.m., the sheriff said a passerby said he heard glass breaking at a home.
Deputies discovered a house had been broken into.
Officials with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office called the homeowner, who said no one should be at the home, and that homeowner told the sheriff's office there were firearms and ammunition in the house.
According to Chitwood, as deputies surrounded the home, they were met with gunfire, multiple times.
Story continues below.
At 8:28 p.m., a sergeant took gunfire multiple times, but did not return fire. The children continued to shoot at deputies, the sheriff said.
At 8:40 p.m., the 14-year-old girl emerged from the home and threatened to kill a deputy, Chitwood said.
The 14-year-old then came out of the garage, armed with a firearm, and was then shot by deputies. The 12-year-old boy decided to surrender, the sheriff said.
No deputies were injured.
"Deputies did everything they could to deescalate, and they almost lost their lives to a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old," Chitwood said.
The 14-year-old was shot multiple times and was taken to a hospital where she is now stable.
The 12-year-old was not injured but taken to a hospital for his medical condition.
Chitwood said the 14-year-old who fired at deputies had previously burned down a children's home that she was sent to live in, located in Flagler County.
"I don't know what to say. Where have we gone wrong that a 12-year-old and 14-year-old think it's OK to take on law enforcement. What the hell is the department of juvenile justice doing sending them to places that can't handle them?"