A pair of juveniles in a stolen vehicle tried to speed off into Mexico through the Donna International Bridge, according to the Donna Police Department.

When that didn’t work, the juveniles tried to run over a police officer Thursday at around 6 a.m., leading to an officer-involved shooting and a chase through the city.

The minors, whose identities aren’t being publicly released, are each facing charges of theft, aggravated assault on a police officer and evading arrest in connection with the incident. 

According to Donna Police Chief Gilbert Guerrero, the minors were spotted driving a new Jeep Gladiator heading toward Mexico near the bridge. 

When a Donna police officer realized the vehicle was stolen out of Brownsville, he tried to stop them

“The officer believed the car was stolen, and then it almost ran over our officer,” Guerrero said. “[It’s] what led to the chase."

Police shot at the juveniles — who turned the vehicle around —and chased them for about a mile until they got stuck in a neighborhood on FM 493.

“This stolen car thing is a huge problem here in the Valley, huge," Guerrero said.

The Brownsville Police Department said Jeep Gladiators have recently become targets for thieves.

“This month alone, we have had 25 vehicles reported stolen, 14 of which have been recovered,” Brownsville Police Department spokesperson Abril Luna said.

Guerrero said police in Donna are keeping an eye on their bridge. 

“[Vehicles are] stolen from Brownsville, Harlingen all around, and then they try to use the Donna bridge, the Progreso bridge, as a corridor into Mexico,” Guerrero said. “So yeah, it's a problem."

Channel 5 News has learned that the officer who fired his weapon is currently on paid leave.

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