MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — An armed robbery Monday afternoon triggered a police chase and crash in north Minneapolis, leading to the arrest of three juvenile suspects. It's the latest in a string of robberies involving teens and young adults that targeted more than a dozen victims over the weekend.
"These robberies that have been happening are absolutely outrageous," Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said on the crash scene that followed the latest robbery.
According to O'Hara, around 12:30 p.m. on Monday MPD received a 911 call of a robbery at gunpoint near Garfield Avenue and West 43rd Street involving two white Kias. Police said both of the vehicles - an SUV and sedan - were also reported stolen.
After the vehicles were spotted, a police chase ensued. O'Hara estimates it lasted six to seven minutes until one of the vehicles struck another car before crashing into a bus stop outside the Urban League Twin Cities in north Minneapolis. Two people were waiting for the bus when the car crashed but no one was injured.
Officers arrested three out of the four suspects who were in the crashed vehicle. The second vehicle, with four people reported inside, managed to escape. Police said a handgun was recovered at the scene.
Angela Scott, who lives just down the street, said she was driving when all of a sudden she saw police cars flying by. When Scott found out what had happened, she said, "Sad. It's teenagers. And what are you getting out of this? You could've harmed people."
"Vehicle pursuits are dangerous. They're dangerous for the community; they're dangerous for the officers that are pursuing," O'Hara said. "But in a situation like this where people are being robbed at gunpoint, their lives are being threatened, it's a balance. It's a decision that needs to be made to try and stop these things from happening before somebody gets killed."
Monday's case was the latest incident in a string of similar robberies that started over the weekend.
"We are not certain for sure the suspects we have under arrest are also part of the same crew that committed the robberies over this weekend. But obviously with the circumstances, with the MO being very similar, we suspect that may be the case," O'Hara said.
According to police, on Feb. 10 there were 14 robberies with similar circumstances in which a group of people, believed to be in their teens to twenties, exited a vehicle and robbed pedestrians. Victims were typically robbed of their purses/wallets and phones, and their descriptions of the robbers included groups ranging in size from at least two to 10 men and women. In most cases, the crooks were described as wearing dark clothing, with masks and carrying guns.
MPD believes that eight of the 14 robberies involved a grey SUV that had been carjacked early on Feb. 10.
"This arrest was made here because the MPD responded immediately to this robbery spree as it was happening. We've devoted resources, proactive resources, to go out and try and stop this problem. I'm thankful that these arrests were made. However... particularly since they're juveniles, we need the rest of the system to do their part to ensure that there is accountability over this," O'Hara said.
According to police, there have been at least 36 robberies or carjackings since Thursday, Feb. 8. O'Hara said there were 46 violent crimes reported in Minneapolis over the weekend with 70% of those being attributed to robberies.
"Be as observant as you can about the individuals that are there, what they're wearing, what they look like, try and get a license plate of a vehicle that's involved. But the number one priority is your own safety and remember that property can be can be replaced," O'Hara said.
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