A 13-year-old boy is dead after police tried stopping him while he was riding a dirt bike.
The incident happened the day after Christmas in Boynton Beach, Florida.
According to police, an officer witnessed the teenager "driving recklessly" on a dirt bike along Boynton Beach Boulevard.
When the officer attempted to stop the teen, "the dirt bike went down" on North Federal Highway, police said in a statement.
The boy lost control of the bike, collided with the median curb and was ejected, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. He was declared dead at the scene.
"Our hearts go out to the family members of this young person, and they can trust that we and our law enforcement partners will be conducting a series of thorough and meticulous investigations into the circumstances of what occurred," Boynton Beach Police Chief Michael Gregory said in a statement.
The police officer who initiated the traffic stop has been placed on paid administrative leave, per department policy, pending the outcome of investigations.
The victim has been identified in reports as 13-year-old Stanley Davis, Jr. On Monday night, hundreds of people attended a vigil at the crash site where the boy died, WPTV reported.
Police said the patrol vehicle involved in the incident was not equipped with a dashcam, and that they've handed over all video evidence to the Florida Highway Patrol for their investigation.
Boynton Beach Mayor Steven B. Grant is awaiting the results of the investigation before jumping to conclusions, but he said one thing is for certain.
"We should not blame the police department for the actions of an individual officer," Grant said in an interview with CBS12 News. "However, the city and police are responsible."
In addition to the police investigation, the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office is working to determine the cause and manner of the teen's death.
Authorities said a full investigation could take months to complete.
