Florida officer crashes into 8-year-old boy on dirt bike, child seriously hurt

An 8-year-old boy in Florida was seriously hurt when an on-duty police officer crashed into him while the child was riding a dirt bike.

The Sarasota Police Department on Thursday said the officer was leaving a separate call and heading to a scene when the child rode into the intersection in front of the police cruiser.

Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche released a video statement about the ongoing officer investigation, as well as body camera footage of the crash.

In the video, the officer appears frantic when he realizes he hit the boy after making a left-hand turn. He jumps out of his cruiser and hurries to the child, who is in the middle of the road as a crowd quickly grows around him.

The video shows a crowd distressed and expressing their concern as the officer begins chest compressions. The boy appears unconscious.

Additional officers arrive to contain the crowd as an ambulance pulls through the intersection and takes the boy to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital.

Police said the child was out of surgery on Tuesday morning and remained hospitalized and surrounded by family as of Wednesday. It is unclear if he has been discharged at this time.

The Traffic Unit and the Florida Highway Patrol is investigating, said police.