I-95 shooting: Officer shot twice, suspect with severe burns after trying to escape in police car

SOUTH DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A South Daytona Beach police officer is recovering in the hospital after he was shot twice while chasing a suspect near Interstate-95, Sunday morning. 

The officer, Jake Fessenden, was shot in the shoulder and leg, who was running away, turned around and shot him twice, South Daytona Beach Chief of Police Joseph LaSata told FOX 35. 

What we know:

Officers with the Port Orange Police responded to a reported shooting around 6 a.m., March 15, on Country Lane, locating a suspect, who then ran from police in a vehicle, the department said. 

Port Orange Police – along with South Daytona Beach Police officers – pursued the suspect, who then crashed his vehicle near the Interstate-95 and Interstate-4 interchange and ran from police. 

Read more: South Daytona officer shot by suspect in I-95 chase, crash: officials

Police officer shot twice

When Officer Jake Fessenden, with South Daytona Beach Police, chased the suspect – later identified as Todd Martin, 31, of Port Orange – Martin shot Fessenden twice – injuring him in the shoulder and leg, the City of South Daytona said in a statement. 

The bullet went in just above the body armor, LaSata said. 

Watch: Full press conference

"During the foot chase, he (Martin) spun around and shot at my officer and my officer returned fire," LaSata said. "As we were dragging the officer to safety, the suspect managed to crawl into one of our police cars and tried to get away in it." 

Police car caught fire

While Martin was inside one of the police cars, LaSata said the police car caught fire, and Martin refused to get out.

Martin jumped out of the passenger side – on fire, LaSata said. 

Officers extinguished the fire and Martin was taken into custody. 

LaSata didn't confirm how the initial shooting on County Lane started – deferring to the Port Orange Police Department. LaSata confirmed that Martin shot a vehicle multiple times. 

‘Can't control every variable' 

LaSata said officers were already on high-alert and aware of officer safety concerns, knowing that Martin was a shooting suspect. 

"They tried to be safe and went after him," LaSata said. "He spun right around and shot at our officers." 

Suspect in critical condition

Martin – who was hit by the return fire – is currently hospitalized in critical condition, Port Orange Police said. He suffered severe burns after barricading himself inside the patrol vehicle that caught fire. 

What's next:

Officer Fessenden is currently recovering in the hospital and is in stable condition, LaSata reported. He anticipates that Fessenden will be released in the coming days.