A fast-moving string of back-to-back carjackings on Tuesday evening ended with a stolen vehicle crumpled on Minneapolis’ north side and four teenagers headed into custody. At least one suspect was armed during the spree, which targeted a woman in her 60s and a man in his 50s. Both victims escaped without injuries serious enough to require a hospital stay, even as the chase pulled police from one side of the city to the other.
According to police, the suspects, boys between 15 and 17 years old, are accused of trying to steal one vehicle and, minutes later, carjacking a woman and then a man on the city’s south side, including on the 600 block of 27th Street East. Officers later spotted the stolen vehicle near 36th Avenue North and Penn Avenue North. When they tried to pull it over near 36th and Oliver, the driver took off and ultimately crashed at Humboldt Avenue North and Lowry Avenue North. A 15-year-old bolted from the wreck and ran to the 3100 block of James Avenue North, where witnesses said he ditched a gun. He was evaluated at a hospital, then booked on aggravated robbery, felony fleeing, and prohibited-person-in-possession charges. The three other teens were arrested at the crash scene and later booked for aggravated robbery. “We continue to see a small number of juveniles who remain on a path where they are a danger to themselves as well as the community,” Chief Brian O’Hara said, according to Bring Me The News.
Police response and enforcement tactics
Minneapolis police have increasingly leaned on robbery-pattern work and saturation patrols to track stolen vehicles and quickly corner suspects when a spree pops off. The department has outlined that strategy in public bulletins and says it activates the plan when multiple violent robberies or carjackings hit in quick succession, flooding targeted areas with officers and asking partner agencies to pitch in. For non-emergency tips, MPD urges residents to email [email protected] or leave a voicemail at 612-673-5845, and to contact CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, according to the Minneapolis Police Department.
What happens next
The teens were booked into the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center and will move through the juvenile system, with the Hennepin County Attorney's Office deciding whether to file formal charges, according to local reporting. Because one of the youths is booked on weapons and felony-fleeing counts, prosecutors may have different detention and certification questions on their plate than they would in a typical adult case. Police said the crash did not seriously injure any bystanders and emphasized that community tips are key to helping investigators strengthen the case, per the Minneapolis Police Department.
Investigators are still processing the crash site and going over video footage and witness statements. Neighbors reported a heavy police presence as officers canvassed the area and sorted through what happened. Authorities say the arrests highlight how quick coordination between agencies can disrupt a violent pattern, even as Minneapolis continues to wrestle with a small group of repeat juvenile offenders. Anyone with information about Tuesday’s incidents is asked to contact MPD tip lines or CrimeStoppers.
