The streets of Minneapolis became the backdrop of a high-speed chase early Sunday that ended with a flipped car on southbound 35W and the alleged robber in cuffs. Three separate robberies that happened almost back-to-back triggered the Minneapolis Police Department's Robbery Pattern Response Protocol, designed to clamp down on crime sprees rapidly.
An armed suspect, believed to have hit up three spots starting at 12:50 a.m. on the 1200 Block of Como Ave SE, forced a man and a woman to hand over their valuables, at gunpoint. With a similar MO, the suspect then robbed three males around the corner near 8th St SE and 13th Ave SE, about half an hour later, according to the Minneapolis Police Department.
The third incident—a carjacking—took place shortly after at 1:27 a.m. on the 1100 block of 7th St SE, escalating the police's urgency to apprehend the suspect. The University of Minnesota Police Department (UMPD) intervened and traced a vehicle matching the description from the first two incidents. When UMPD officers tried to pull over the driver on 4th Street SE around 1:30 a.m., the chase began, ultimately leading to a crash and the suspect's arrest.
UMPD apprehended 20-year-old Khalid Abdi Mahamud, who, after the car flipped and he was extracted from the wreckage, was taken to HCMC with injuries deemed non-life-threatening. The report also stated a handgun and evidence from the robberies were recovered. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara lauded the swift action, announcing, “I continue to be proud of the great work our officers are doing around the clock to address the recent spike in robberies,” in a statement secured by the department's news bulletin. “I believe our rapid response, all hands-on deck strategy is working, and I am thankful to the University of Minnesota Police and all our law enforcement partners who continue to answer the call to protect all people of our city,” as reported by the Minneapolis Police Department.
Implemented in February, the Robbery Pattern Response Protocol necessitates that the police chief be notified immediately after multiple robberies occur in quick succession, prioritizing the mobilization of forces to catch suspects and ensuring constant vigil over the affected areas.
