Minneapolis police arrested six juveniles, aged 11 to 14, following a string of armed robberies and a chaotic police chase that ended in crashes on the interstate on Tuesday. Several of the minors had prior arrests, prompting authorities to stress the need for “urgent action” to address their escalating violence, Fox 9 reported.
The crime spree began around 11:30 a.m. when officers responded to the first robbery in the 5100 block of 41st Ave South. Shortly after, a second armed robbery occurred in the 3400 block of Bloomington Ave, where a suspect fired shots at a victim. Thankfully, no one was hit.
By 1:30 p.m., a third robbery took place at 24th St and Pleasant Ave, where a victim was held at gunpoint. Due to the similar nature of the crimes, Minneapolis police activated their Crime Pattern Response protocol, enlisting the help of multiple law enforcement agencies to flood the area and locate the suspects.
Police soon received reports of reckless driving, leading to multiple pursuits and crashes. One suspect vehicle was spotted and chased by police before crashing on westbound I-94 near Cedar Avenue. The occupants fled on foot but were quickly apprehended. Meanwhile, a second stolen vehicle involved in the robberies also crashed, with the suspects fleeing on foot and subsequently being caught by police.
Three young boys, aged 11, 12, and 13, along with three girls, aged 13 and 14, were arrested. All suspects were taken to the hospital for evaluation due to non-life-threatening injuries sustained in the crashes and were later booked into the Juvenile Detention Center. Some of the minors had prior run-ins with law enforcement.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara expressed his frustration over the ages of the suspects, stating, “Despite all our efforts, it’s incredibly frustrating to see this activity continuing with children so young. It highlights the urgent need for action. I am grateful for the swift response of law enforcement in arresting these juveniles before they could cause more harm to the community or themselves.”
The case underscores growing concerns about juvenile involvement in violent crimes in the city.
