Northern Territory Police are investigating an incident in which a 12-year-old male was hospitalised this afternoon.

At 4:00pm, police attended a shopping centre in Leanyer after receiving a report of a youth causing a disturbance.

Upon arrival, police spoke with a security guard and identified the youth, who was still at the scene. As police have approached the youth, he began to flee when he fell to the ground following what appeared to have been a medical episode.

Police administered first aid until St John Ambulance arrived and transported the youth to the hospital.

The incident is being treated as a serious custody incident and the Crime Division are investigating.