EDINA, Minn. — Five suspects in an attempted carjacking near an Edina middle school are students in the district, according to a message sent home to families.
The message from Edina Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Stacie Stanley says the suspects arrested following the April 26 incident were all students at Edina High School. Those juveniles have not returned to campus since they were taken into custody, and are "no longer enrolled in the school district."
Superintendent Stanley also shared that one of the suspects had an imitation airsoft gun without the identifying orange tip at the time the juveniles were arrested.
One of the five suspects, the oldest, has been charged with first-degree aggravated robbery, according to court documents.
The statement of probable cause also notes that the juvenile suspects were between the ages of 15 and 17.
"I can confirm that it was not on an Edina Public Schools bus, as the students involved were not on Edina Public Schools Transportation," Stanley wrote. "After an investigation that included interviews and a review of surveillance video recordings, we have discovered no evidence to indicate that the imitation airsoft gun was ever in the school."
After meeting with police to discuss and debrief the attempted carjacking, the district has scheduled a closed-door school board meeting for Thursday, May 4 to review safety and security protocols and recommended procedures for working with the Edina Police Department. Stanley's message says the meeting will be closed as disclosing private security data would "post a danger to public safety and/or compromise security procedures and responses."
Stanley acknowledged the fallout from the incident, which took place just before 10 a.m. at the intersection of 70th St. and Antrim Road. Police say the intended victim was able to drive away, but nearby Valley View Middle School was locked down until the suspects were taken into custody.
"This incident has shaken our community at its core," the superintendent acknowledged.
At this time one of the five suspects, the oldest, has been charged
At this time all suspects have been referred to juvenile authorities for consideration of criminal charges.
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