ORLANDO, Fla. — A 14-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy fled from a Florida juvenile home and broke into a house, where they found a small arsenal — a shotgun, an AK-47 and plenty of ammunition. When confronted by sheriff’s deputies, the pair opened fire, sparking a gunbattle.

The gunfire ceased only after deputies wounded the girl, who was in critical but stable condition Wednesday, a day after the violence unfolded. The boy then surrendered.

The juveniles fired at deputies from the house multiple times over 45 minutes, Sheriff Mike Chitwood told a news conference Tuesday evening.

Deputies tried to calm the situation and eventually returned fire. The sheriff said it was unlike anything he had seen in 35 years in policing.

“Deputies did everything they could tonight to de-escalate, and they almost lost their lives to a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old,” the sheriff said.