A Colorado man tracked his stolen car with an app, then shot and killed a 12-year-old boy behind the wheel on Sunday.

Denver police said the man, who has not been arrested, exchanged gunfire with at least one person inside the vehicle, WAFB reported.

The 12-year-old drove off after the shooting and was found with a gunshot wound a few blocks away. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.

Police said other occupants of the car ran away when it stopped.

Police said they were trying to determine who fired first or what may have led up to the shooting and could not say if the car’s owner called them before or during his pursuit of the car thieves.

A police spokesperson told the station in an email that the department “recommends against owners trying to recover their stolen vehicle, because car thieves are often armed, posing a significant risk to anyone attempted to contact them.”

The shooting took place in City Councilwoman Jamie Torres’s district. Torres called the incident “absolutely tragic” and “likely avoidable.”

“I’m heartbroken that this ended in the death of a 12 year old,” she said. “I know auto theft is a growing issue, not just in Denver but everywhere and it’s infuriating to be victimized like that, but I discourage any resident to taking a vigilante approach. It is not worth taking or risking your life. I’m heartbroken that this entire sequence of events took place and that it was brought to my District’s doorstep.”

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[Featured image: Pixabay]