MINNEAPOLIS — Two crashes Tuesday ended in the arrest of six juveniles between the ages of 11 and 14. Police are investigating if the teens and kids were also involved in a string of armed robberies earlier in the day.
The first robbery happened around 11:30 a.m. in the Minnehaha neighborhood. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said a second robbery at gunpoint happened near Powderhorn Park. During this robbery, O'Hara said shots were fired from a vehicle but no one was hurt. A third robbery involving a firearm happened around 1:30 p.m. in the Lyndale neighborhood.
Because of how similar the robberies were, O'Hara said the Crime Pattern Response Protocol was activated, and officers from MPD, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, and State Patrol began "flooding the area in search of the involved vehicles."
One of the vehicles was found but fled when officers tried to initiate a stop, according to O'Hara. That vehicle crashed on I-94 westbound near Cedar Avenue. A second vehicle O'Hara said was stolen also crashed nearby. Three other vehicles were involved in the crashes but officials said no one in those vehicles was hurt.
The juveniles in the two crashed cars ran but were arrested, according to a news release from MPD. Three boys, ages 11, 12, and 13, two girls age 14 and one girl age 12 are being booked at the juvenile detention center, O'Hara said.
“Our Crime Pattern Response protocol continues to be an effective strategy to quickly locate and arrest those committing crimes of violence in Minneapolis,” Chief O’Hara said. “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 than of our community or themselves.”
Police are still investigating their involvement in the three robberies.