Police officer shot suspect who allegedly rammed two police vehicles: LPD

LAKELAND, Florida – Lakeland police say a man rammed several police vehicles in a shopping center parking lot and fled from police.

Lakeland police said they received calls around 12:45 a.m. Monday about a man sleeping in a running car at a stop sign at 1700 Lakehurst Drive. Officers attempted to wake the man up, and when he woke up, he crashed his car into a vehicle and left the area.

A short time later, police found the man again at a gas station in the 3400 block of U.S. Highway 98 North, and the suspect allegedly fled a second time, according to police.

At 1:20 p.m., police approached the vehicle and suspect in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 4200 block of U.S. Highway 98. The man then allegedly rammed two police vehicles in the parking lot, and an officer fired several shots at the suspect, according to Lakeland police.

Jeremy Richardson shared with ABC Action News a video he shot of the suspect's vehicle being shot at.

Watch the video of the suspect being shot

Video of a police-involved shooting in Lakeland

The suspect then drove away from the mall and was pursued by police onto US Highway 98 North. The suspect eventually crashed on Wegewood Estates Boulevard near Douglas M. Cook Park and was arrested.

Lakeland police identified the suspect as John Alfred Hofman, 57, of Webster, FL. Hofman was taken to the hospital for evaluation. Hofman was not injured and was taken to the Polk County Jail.

One officer suffered minor injuries, was treated and released from the hospital.

Hofman has outstanding arrest warrants in Sumter and Volusia counties and a long criminal history with 30 criminal charges and 10 felony convictions.