6 Juveniles Arrested After Armed Robbery Spree, Crashes on I-94
Minneapolis police arrested six juveniles Tuesday afternoon following a series of armed robberies and two vehicle crashes on I-94.
Authorities say the first incident occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. on the 5100 block of 41st Avenue South, where a robbery at gunpoint was reported. A short time later, officers responded to a similar robbery at gunpoint on the 3400 block of Bloomington Avenue. During this incident, shots were fired at a victim, but no injuries were reported.
Around 1:30 p.m., a third armed robbery was reported near 24th Street and Pleasant Avenue. Due to similarities between the incidents, police activated their Crime Pattern Response Protocol to track down those responsible.
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Minneapolis officers, alongside the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota State Patrol, searched for the suspects’ vehicles. Authorities received several 911 calls about reckless driving in the First and Fifth precincts.
Police located one of the suspect vehicles and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver fled, leading to a chase. The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed on I-94 westbound near Cedar Avenue. Four occupants fled on foot but were quickly apprehended.
Nearby, a second stolen vehicle crashed. Police say two people ran from that scene and were taken into custody. Officers were not pursuing the second vehicle at the time of the crash.
Three other vehicles were damaged in the crashes, but no injuries were reported among the drivers.
“Our Crime Pattern Response protocol continues to be an effective strategy to quickly locate and arrest those committing crimes of violence in Minneapolis,” Chief Brian O’Hara said in a statement. “The fact that I see this activity continuing with children so young – despite all our efforts – is incredibly frustrating and highlights the urgent need for action. I am grateful for the immediate response of law enforcement in finding and arresting these juveniles before they could cause more harm to members of our community or themselves.”
Police say the arrested juveniles include three boys, ages 11, 12, and 13, as well as two 14-year-old girls and a 12-year-old girl. All were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries and will be booked into the Juvenile Detention Center.
Officials noted that the 12-year-old boy had multiple prior interactions with Minneapolis police, while the other juveniles had limited or no previous contact with law enforcement. They may be referred to juvenile diversion programs.
Investigators are working to determine the role of each juvenile in the robberies and whether they were involved in other criminal activities.
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