A St. Cloud boy was assaulted by roughly 10 to 12 other boys on 15th Street South last Tuesday afternoon, and when an adult woman tried to step in and stop the beating, an unknown male struck her with a bat. Both the boy and the woman suffered minor injuries in the attack, which has already led to two arrests and, according to police, more expected to come.
Swarm Attack Unfolds Near Neighborhood Safety Hub
The St. Cloud Police Department was called to the 600 block of 15th Street South around 4 p.m. on September 22, according to WJON. The block sits near the Community Outpost, known locally as the COP House, a facility at 606 13th Avenue South where St. Cloud police and health agencies maintain a regular presence aimed at curbing crime in the area, per the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation.
Investigators say the group assault began when a boy was set upon by about a dozen other boys. When a woman attempted to intervene, an unidentified male struck her with a bat. Both victims came away with minor injuries, the station's report notes, and police say the Criminal Investigation Unit has since identified two boy suspects and taken them into secure custody, with charges pending for felony assault.
What the Felony Charge Could Mean
Minnesota Statute § 609.222 sets penalties for assault with a dangerous weapon, a felony punishable by up to seven years in prison, or as much as 10 years if the attack causes substantial bodily harm. Because the two suspects now in custody are juveniles, state procedure requires a detention hearing within 36 hours of being taken into custody, excluding weekends and legal holidays, under Minnesota Statute § 260B.178.
The two suspects are juveniles.
Investigation Continues Into Group Assault
Police are continuing to investigate the group assault involving about 10 to 12 boys.
Police say the investigation remains ongoing and that additional arrests are anticipated as the Criminal Investigation Unit continues working through suspect identifications, per the police department's account carried by the same outlet's reporting.
Part of a Pattern of Youth Violence in St. Cloud
St. Cloud has seen another group or weapon-involved youth incident this year. In July, prosecutors charged two teenagers following a late-night street ambush that left a man hospitalized with a punctured lung.
For now, the two juveniles taken into custody remain in secure detention as their case moves toward a detention hearing, while investigators continue working to identify the rest of the group involved in the 15th Street South assault.
